Hard Choices 292i4v

HARD CHOICES

RANBIR SINGH

Copyright © 2016 by Ranbir Singh.

ISBN: Softcover 978-1-4828-7405-1 eBook 978-1-4828-7406-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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www.partridgepublishing.com/india

Contents

Acknowledgements

-Main characters-

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

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10

11

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19

To Munn Angel and Sunny

Acknowledgements

'Hard Choices' is a parable; a story about finding the deep source of energy, creativity and ion that exists inside us. Though it is a mere piece of fantasy and adventure, but as I saw it, it was a great deal more to me. It sometime cross the limit of reality, but surely it is a story of what a man's resolution can achieve. Our life's not always easy; it can be difficult and cruel at times. We constantly experience, suspects, hopes, dream extraordinary things, and something uncanny is going on. Often we have experiences which leave us with painful feeling long after it is over. And if that experience was inflicted on us by a person who is no longer present, then we suffer by nature of our thinking about that event. The aim of this book is set us free from neurosis, from emotional intimidation, and free from inhibition. If we have a bad experience in past and it cannot be changed, it is pointless to do anything else but accept it. No regret or guilt of any sort. Deep down in our heart we all want to be loved and life should go on. Life is always generous to those who pursue their destiny. I owe huge gratitude to my family for their love, and motivation, without which this book would most definitely never have been born. And most importantly thanks to Sunny, Sandra, Nancy and others for visiting in my imagination and visualize me with their story. Lastly, my sincere thanks to Partridge Publishers for their , I am eternally grateful to all of them.

Ranbir Singh

-Main characters-

1. Protagonist- Sunny is a smart, witty and arrogant young man who gets an easy job in a London based trade finance company in Bombay. 2. Sandra- is pretty office manager of the company. 3. Nandu- is ant of the company, a common friend of Sunny and Sandra. 4. Ancy- is mysterious beautician and tarot reader. She works as telemarketing executive and personal secretary of managing director of the company. She is fascinated with Sunny and wants to seduce him. 5. Luca- is senior consultant of the company, who cheats a businessman and shifts the blame on Sunny. 6. MD- is managing director of company and based in London. 7. Sally- is office manager of company's London office. 8. Mr. Brown- is a fine gentleman and director of the company in London. 9. Wendy- is daughter of Mr. Brown. 10. Jitubhai- is a social worker who helps Sunny getting job. 11. Madam Deepika Sawhani- is director of one marketing company. 12. Anjali- senior marketing executive in Madam Deepika Shawano's office. 13. Nancy- is daughter of Sunny and Sandra. 14. Imran Khan- is notorious con and fraudster. He runs a big business of cheating and money laundering in Delhi. 15. Zarina is daughter of a notorious don.

1

It was ten to nine in the morning when Sunny jumped off the local train before it fully stopped at Church Gate station of Bombay and started walking briskly towards Marine Drive. Another enger had given him his directions. Soon he reached at a distance he saw the sea. On a different day, he thought, he would have been mesmerized, but today, he just walked like most of seasoned Bombay locals. Almost at nine o' clock he entered in the office Sealand Trade Finance Limited. He was meticulous young man in early twenties, anxious and excited. Today he had doubly ensured that his clothes, his shoes and his handkerchief were up to minute as he was on some dress parade. After completing his MBA in marketing it was his first day in job. He was handsome, witty, charming, and had a killer smile that had drawn the attention of many girls of his age. Born in a village of Punjab and son of an army officer Sunny had good physique, healthy habits, straight body, high chest with appearance of nobility and intelligence. He was bright, idealistic, and achingly young. In college he was captain of hockey team and had actively participated in many boxing competitions. He was tall, always ready to strike, and walked gracefully. He had quick eyes and keen ears and his excessive energy sometime give appearance of fidgeting, but it was an easy graceful fidget, never disturbing. He had an air of confidence and there was something so basically kind and gentle about him. He had an aura of a highly trained racehorse always straining at the reins, arching to go faster, farther, to do more to fight time, and to conquer odds beyond hope. Being very ambitious and restless his senses always tell him a thing should be done, and he rushes headlong into action. He always remained in a thrilled position as if he lives in some kind of adventure and gave the idea of one who has not a single care in the world. He always wanted to be one decision man, which do not permit small things to interfere with. He thought man's biggest problem is the problem of decision making and answer of every question in life is either Yes or No, and there is nothing between these two options. Most of the things that steal our time,

strength, money and energy are due to indecision. He always thought if you are not decisive, you will never hew anything worthwhile in life. Having grown up with the notion that he always has to be number one, he always believed in hard work is secret of success, and often he won but not always. And that irked him. It was the cause of sorrow deep within him. His lightening like liveliness on face and body, and his instant reaction to everything was giving impression of speed thinking, though he was aware that his quick thinking does not make him think better, and he needed to slowdown. His weakness was that he always wanted change, shortsighted and egotism. To hold him back was the hardest thing to do, and this impulsive tendency had brought him great deal of unhappiness and fails to take into consideration the various elements of situation. He realized that most of times he jump to conclusion, and then was compelled to alter that lead him nowhere. He needed to have definite goal in life to progress and adhere to it with determination and hard work. He always hated persons who are never two minutes same. He avoided talkative always chattering, making useless, light hearted comments on everybody, and those who look always happy, taking serious things lightly, and joking vulgar.

He walked into office slowly, as though in some hesitation. The office was located on the first floor overlooking sea. It was an old building, an apartment converted in to office. It was large three bedrooms suite surrounded by glass, which give clear view of sea. The drawing room and one bed room was converted in to office, another bedroom was a conference room, and the third bed room was converted as Managing Director's chamber with a bath. The arrangement of office and general air of housekeeping indicated easy and opulent atmosphere. At reception he was greeted with a big smile by a pretty bespectacled mouse type receptionist. 'Good morning.' 'Good morning. I'm Sunny,' he introduced himself to receptionist. 'Is it your first name or your last name?' she asked surprisingly with a smile.

'None,' he said and then confessed his real name was Manjit Singh, and Sunny was his nick name. 'I knew you were coming today. My name is Patricia and I'm office assistant,' she said. He responded her with a smile. 'Please take a seat over there,' she again said pointing a sofa, and then she ordered a coffee for him over intercom. At this moment the door was gently pushed open and a young girl apparently twenty five entered in the office. She was strikingly beautiful and brilliant, and she appeared self-sufficient with a fascinating cool at her core. Her dark hairs were hung in curl on back of her round face like a pony tail. Her deep soulful brown vivid eyes were penetrating, full of vigor and alertness starred from beneath the rich long black lashes radiating spell so irresistible and charming. She had no makeup, perhaps she never needed it. She was dressed in simple gray suit neatly fitted on her sleek body. Her complexion was dazzling fair. She was brilliant and unconcerned, and a certain air of assurance and confidence showed that she was familiar to office. For an instant Sunny felt as if time had stopped, he sensed he knew her. He gazed at her motionless for a while. 'Good morning Sandra, today you look beautiful,' greeted Patricia. 'She always looks beautiful. What is new?' a voice came from behind. Sandra ignored the comment, and quickly marked her attendance and moved to her desk. 'She is Sandra, Office Manager, you have to report her,' Patricia said to Sunny with her broad smile. He waited for her to settle down. A coffee came and Sunny could not resist his gaze on her between sips. She was prettier than all the pretty girls he had ever seen before. He could not cease looking at her; there was a wonderful radiance on her face. He wanted to ire her beauty for a long time, but soon realized staring like that was not good. He felt embarrassed and looked down. 'She is the most beautiful girl I ever beheld! I can spend my whole life just looking at her,' he thought.

Sunny was soon called in conference room behind reception. The room was decorated elegantly with costly furniture. A central table was like a big dining table of a palace with eight chairs covered with fine fabrics. Two sides of room had silky curtains hanging from roof to bottom and one side had a number of small cupboards for keeping company's record, and opposite side had the view of sea. Sandra gave a series of monotonous instructions in a very refined and professional voice without looking at him. That the company had its main office in London, and Managing Director visits this office twice a year. The company was providing financial services to small traders engaged in overseas business. His job profile is to move in market, meet perspective clients and give them a presentation and then invite them in the office for further discussion with a senior consultant of company. His words for presentation and his answers to client's queries were very specific and designed by the company. He has to all those by heart. Every day he is supposed to report in office at nine a.m. In evening he has to submit his DAR (Daily Activity Report) to her, and a copy to Luca. He will be provided with a company's car and driver for his presentations. The car was not allowed for his personal use. Initially he will be provided with two leads daily and in future he has to develop his own market. He will be entitled for an incentive for each sale he will make. Saturday was half day and Sunday was off. The Company had a pantry, tea and coffee was available all the time, but he has to serve himself. Lunch was provided by company on every Saturday after a weekly review meeting. One casual in a month and fifteen paid leaves after one year was allowed by the company. He listened to her carefully, and then asked, 'Who is Luca?' 'He is company's senior consultant, he comes late by eleven, and other staffs are Ancy, Nandu and Ram Singh. Patricia you have already met. Ancy is telemarketing executive and personal secretary of MD, Nandu is ant and Ram Singh is driver of the company. You can meet them all in the office. Ancy's desk is opposite mine and your desk is next to me,' she said hurriedly.

Sunny was relieved but was quite surprised with her unconcerned behavior. 'Does she talk with everyone like that?' he wondered and came out of conference room to search his working desk. The office was divided into cubicles, and was equipped with latest computers. Sandra was soon busy with her computer. He looked at Ancy; she was talking with somebody on phone in whispers and smiling. He went straight to Nandu and introduced himself. 'I'm Sunny, new marketing executive,' and he extended his hand for a hand shake. Nandu greeted him warmly with a smile. He was unusually long and thin with thick lenses, and he was as gentle and efficient as was his height. His bones were like electricity pole, his eyes dark and impressive, and head smaller than body. He was shaking his legs at intervals. 'In case you need anything just tell me,' said Nandu. 'Yes, I will. Thank you. It's nice to meet you.' 'How do you get employment in this company?' asked Nandu. 'It's through an ment in Tribune. I was interviewed in Chandigarh, and was told to report at this office.' 'So you are from Punjab. It's pride of India. Once I went to Amritsar to see Golden Temple. It's so big and marvelous.' 'Of course, it is,' replied Sunny. 'You are from which town?' asked Nandu. 'I'm from Chandigarh.' 'Is it your first job?' 'Yes.' 'Punjabis are very healthy, always smiling, happy and rich.' Sunny didn't know what to say, so he just smiled at his comments.

'Ancy madam is calling you,' interrupted Ram Singh. Sunny got up from his seat to meet her. She welcomed him with a smile, and extended her hand for a handshake. She was in her early thirties, tall, nice curves, broad face with maroon lipstick, and a little scar under her left eye, full make-up, a real looker, and dressed in a sari with low neck blouse that partially showed her big breasts with a tattoo which looked like a scorpion. Her voice was low, little more than whisper, and while talking she looked straight in his eyes. It made him uneasy. 'I've seen your resume. It's very impressive,' she said and eyed him keenly. She again looked straight in his eyes and her hand reached up her blouse and put out a visiting card and handed to him. It was warm from her body, and slightly curved. 'Thank you, madam.' 'You are science graduate then MBA in marketing, captain of hockey team, boxing champion, hobbies-music and travelling,' she said with her raised eyes and curved lips. 'I'm really impressed, but not all these contradictory?' 'No madam. I don't find any contradiction in this,' he said, and then thought of explaining, but remained silent to avoid further discussion. She leaned back in her chair to study him and her look made him again uncomfortable. Her phone rang on her table. She answered and listened and put it back Sunny carefully read the card and surprised to see her home address printed on back of it. What is the sense of giving home address on a company's business card, that too by a lady? He thought. 'Are you married?' she asked suddenly. 'No.' 'Have any girl friend?' 'No.'

'Where do you live?' 'Santa Cruz.' 'So you are in my neighbor. I live in Khar,' she said pointing her finger on address back of her business card. 'Yes, Madam.' 'Are you living alone?' 'No with friends,' he told a lie to avoid further acquaintance with her, and he felt perspiration on his forehead, and he rubbed it with his handkerchief. 'You are very shy and what you're looking at?' she said looking down at her breast and then at him like a cat see a bowl of cream. 'Scorpion is my sun sign. What's your sun sign?' she asked curiously. 'I don't know,' he said nervously. 'You're an interesting guy. Just tell me in case you need anything. You can call me any time,' she said and laid her left palm on his arm. Sunny nodded. The way she was looking at him made his silence okay. Nandu was looking at him from a distance smiled then, because he knew what was happening. 'Thank you, madam,' Sunny said after a while and returned to his working desk and felt relaxed. 'Sandra has given these files for you,' said Nandu. 'Thanks,' he said and started browsing in one of them.

Soon two men entered the office and went straight into the conference room. 'Lousy Luca,' whispered the driver Ram Singh. Nandu smiled and came little close to Sunny and said, 'have you heard an old

saying, never fight with a pig, he will drag you in mud and enjoy the fight.' Sunny smiled and looked at Sandra. She was busy with her computer unconcerned. After some time he looked at her again and she turned her head away. He couldn't dare to see Ancy. Sunny saw Luca through glass door of conference room. He was sitting close to other man and was discussing some subject with great earnestness. The other person was not seemed strictly speaking. Luca was short and stocky with thick bushy eyebrows. A square shouldered man with large arms, muscular head, thick neck and square face. He was almost bald, and much overdressed in a gaudy T-shirt His hands were plentifully decorated with rings and he wore a heavy gold watch. The chain of watch was loose, which during conversation he was in habit of flourishing and jingling with evident satisfaction. There was a demonic grin on his face, and a look of cunning in his dark eyes. He was talking with all his might and his square fingers were moving with forceful decisive movements. His conversation was free, loud, confident and assuring. Soon they had coffee and left office. Perhaps he couldn't do anything lightly, thought Sunny. He again looked at Sandra, now she was searching something in her drawer. Ancy had plugged her both ears with headphone and enjoying some music. He asked Nandu about Ancy. 'She is a clever bitch. She openly confesses her affairs with MD. She'd travelled all over world with him. It is also rumored that she has many husbands. She is uncanny and terrible, be careful of her, everyday she es office information to MD on phone,' he said. After a pause Nandu again said, 'best person in this office is Sandra. She is quite simple and straight forward. Her father Dr.Batra was a renowned doctor in Civil Hospital in Poona.' 'Whether she is Punjabi?' asked Sunny surprisingly. 'Yes, her real name is Simran Batra and she is MBA with Finance,' said Nandu.

And then looking Sunny confused he amusingly said, 'In this office everyone is given a western name by MD.' 'Simran is Sandra.' 'Anushka is Ancy.' 'Luca is for Loknath.' 'What about you?' 'No, I don't like western name. I am Nandlal Sharma,' he said proudly. 'But, every time MD call me, N-A-N-D-U in some western accent and enjoy it,' he said smilingly. 'What about Patricia?' Sunny pronounced her name with difficulty. 'It's her real name,' said Nandu. At this moment Sandra came and handed him a folder and said. 'This is your presentation kit. You've to read it carefully and it by heart. Answers to all general queries of clients are also clarified in it,' she said. 'I have ordered for your business cards. Tomorrow you're coming with me for a client's visit.'

Next day Sunny was excited that he was going for his first visit to a client and that too with his soul mate. On the way Sandra quickly briefed him about meeting. 'The person we are meeting today is a big businessman dealing in import of cutlery and decorative articles from . Some six month back we opened an import Letter of Credit or LC as it is commonly known for him from a London bank for his supplier. The French supplier subsequently demanded an amendment in LC, which our company first agreed but couldn't deliver. LC got expired and this client suffered loss,' she said and then paused for some time and again said. 'Now this client called me yesterday for a new LC, and I talked to Sally, she is our office manager in London, that this time we will give him special discount in our charges.'

Sunny wanted to ask her some questions, but remained silent and listened to her like an obedient student. Meeting was successful. Sandra handled all queries efficiently and to the point. A template for new LC was prepared and a cheque of five lac rupees towards commission was collected from the client. On the way back to office she said, 'Don't discuss anything about this meeting with Luca.' 'Why?' he asked with a surprise. 'This client doesn't like him.' Sunny looked at her and wondered what she thinks about him, and whether she likes him, attracted to him? I think she's not, but I always hope for it. I know she directly stares into center of my brain. She can read my thoughts, and I know there's a connection now. I know there's some kind of conduit running between us. She knows what I'm thinking, and how I feel about her. The connection between us is undeniable. She can access my every opinion about her and my every true feeling I'll feel for the rest of my life, he thought. At this moment a corner of her dress touched his hand, and he shivered with a pleasant thought of her and closed his eyes for a moment to rejoice it. He was fascinated with her charming beauty from the first instance, and from that moment he couldn't help himself thinking about her.

Next day was Saturday and Sunny full of anticipation of a delightful day reached office. All staffs were dressed in casuals. Luca was missing from office. Ancy was chatting with someone on computer and smiling. Patricia was busy preparing menu for lunch. Ancy had already given her choice of food. Nandu was pure vegetarian, and wanted his food packed separately. 'Are you vegetarian or Non-vegetarian?' asked Patricia. 'Both,' he replied amusingly. Patricia looked at him and moved a menu to him to select his meal. 'Your choice, please?'

'Chicken Biryani and coke,' he said. 'What about you?' Patricia asked Sandra. 'Cheese Pizza with Limca,' she said hurriedly looking at a file on her desk and then she called Sunny in to conference room. She discussed some fine points for closing sale with him, clarified his doubts and assured him to him whenever he needed. Lunch was served to all on their desks, but as Sunny and Sandra was in conference room discussing, so it was given to them there only. Finding her alone, Sunny tried to ask her some personal questions, but she was too formal and gracefully refused to answer them, surely she wanted a distance with him. 'How can I create her feeling about me? She has such a personality that I could ever find a fault in her, but her professional behavior is killing me, it's unbearable. I can't live just iring, fantasizing and dreaming about her,' he thought.

On Monday again Sandra called Sunny and briefed him. 'Today, your first call is with a garment exporter. I've fixed your appointment at twelve thirty. He needs an export LC,' she said and handed him a slip with address of exporter. 'Come here, I will tell you,' interrupted Ancy. Sandra didn't interfered and got herself busy with a file. Sunny unwilling went at Ancy's desk. 'Do you know what a Letter of Credit is?' 'Yes madam, a letter of credit is document issued by a bank assuring payment to seller of goods or services,' Sunny replied promptly. 'But in our LCs there is no assurance of payment to sellers. Do you know that?' 'What!' 'It's an accommodation LC. Do you know what an accommodation LC is?' She

took the address slip from his hand and started explaining him like teacher. 'This exporter is our old client and he wants a garment quota for export to . As our government sanction quota only to exporters who have some confirmed export order or LC from their overseas buyer. We will open a LC from a London bank on behalf of his buying house in .' 'Are you a new marketing executive?' now interrupted Luca rising from his seat. 'Don't worry, you will learn everything soon. I will sit with you one day and explain you everything. Today you just go and collect our commission cheque,' he proudly said. 'I've already closed your sale. Don't worry at all.' Driver was ready with company's car and Sandra handed him one more slip with address of another exporter for his presentation. This time Luca took the slip from Sunny and proudly commanded. 'Driver know the place, you just go and give small presentation and collect his business card, that's important! And I will do the rest.' Sunny was irritated with his behavior and he tempted to be rude with him but he controlled himself and remained calm.

In the evening Sunny called on Sandra at her seat and asked her, 'Why Ancy was telling our LCs do not guarantee payment to exporters?' Sandra explained. 'First you understand a LC cycle in overseas business, after a buyer and seller entered into sales contracts, the buyer applies for a LC from his bank. Upon receiving the LC the seller would apply for packing credit loan from his bank, and manufactures or purchases the goods from his local or an overseas market. Then seller exports the goods and prepare a series of documents in of LC such as Bill of Lading or Airways bill, packing list, inspection certificate etc. proving to his bank that goods shipped are in accordance with the buyer's requirement. His bank releases money to him checking on face value that all his submitted documents tallies with the instructions on the LC.' And then she said. 'There after seller's bank will forward the documents to the buyer's bank. In order to obtain goods from shipping company buyer will have to pay complete its payment or enter into mutual agreement with his bank on a payment date. The LC cycle is governed by the internationally recognized regulation called U 600, which is issued by the International Chamber of

Commerce. This LC cycle is comparable to simple credit card transactions, in which a bank promises to pay on behalf of the buyer i.e. Independence Principle. This payment method is independent from the underlying business transaction. At buyer's end bank is supposed to honor the LC as long as the submitted documents, on its face are correct i.e. Compliance Principle.' 'I think it's too technical for me,' said Sunny. 'Now you have to understand the complete transaction with context to our company. We are not buyer of goods, ours is a trade finance company and in our LCs our London Company is an applicant on behalf of buyer. Now suppose if the buyer do not pay who will be responsible for the payment?' 'Surely it will be our company in London, who opened the LC,' replied Sunny. 'For that reason our London Company put an inspection clause that goods will require a quality certificate issued by our company. And at the time of export our company approaches the buyer and asks them to pay or get the documents coaccepted by their bank for payment.' 'In case if they don't do so?' asked Sunny. 'The export documents will remain incomplete and our London bank will not pay anything.' 'In case exporter's bank submits documents without required inspection certificate to London bank for payment, will they make payment?' 'No, in that case documents remain discrepant and our London bank will refuse to make any payment.' Sunny listened to her carefully, and then said, 'So we finance without any money and without any risk! Isn't it amounts to fraud?' Sandra was silent for some time, and then said, 'but we can't take responsibility of payment without any security.' 'In case exporter doesn't send the goods at all to buyer?' asked Sunny. 'LC will expire after its validity date.'

'And if the exporter has taken a packing credit loan for export?' 'That matter is between exporter and his bank. We are not involved in that situation.' Sandra clarified. 'What is an accommodation or conditional LC?' 'The same I told you just now.' 'Isn't it a fraud business?' Sunny asked again. 'Not always. I can show you a number of cases where Indian companies have their counterparts in UK and USA, and they have no bank facilities to open letters of credit there. They approach to our London office and we open LCs on their behalf from various prime banks of London. In India exporters get easy packing credit loan from their banks once LC is received by their bank. At the time of export, buyer pays us in London and our London office issue necessary inspection certificate to exporter.' 'Okay, tell me how to differentiate between a genuine and an accommodation LC?' asked Sunny. 'On the face of it there is no difference.' 'But you said accommodation LC have an inspection clause.' 'Inspection clause is common in export business. Buyers need quality assurance and they depute their trustworthy for it.' Sandra said and then she looked at Sunny and again said, 'I can understand your anxiety, but don't worry you will be able to understand this business soon.'

In the evening Sunny emailed his day's activity report and shared his day's experience with Sandra and Nandu. Nandu was quite friendly with him and providing him vital information of the company, he warned him to beware of Luca. 'Luca is a big cheat, have no moral, even our MD doesn't like him. But as he is providing good business, he is a necessary evil for the company's survival. Nobody like him, even Ancy hates him,' he said.

'He always boosts of his intelligence and tell everybody that he was a bank manager, but I know he was a cashier in the bank and was fired from his job when his bank manager discovered that he was embezzling customers money. The only reason that bank didn't press charges was that wanted to cover the whole thing up, afraid their own judgment and oversight would be called into question, 'said Nandu. After a pause Nandu again said. 'Ancy is also very arrogant, and she es all her works to Sandra. But Sandra is a nice girl, and she manages this office like a clock.' And then he proudly said, 'I care nobody, whether it's Ancy or Luca. Why should I be afraid of them? I don't do anything wrong.' Sandra was overhearing them but she didn't participate in their conversation. She was not a person with roving eyes. She was self-sufficient and rarely smiled. Most of time, she was absorbed in her computer, or in some file on her table. That was problem, her attitude didn't amuse Sunny and despite his frequent attempt to be friendly she couldn't seem to get through her armor. But he always had good chance of staring and iring her beauty. The way he stood and watched over her was getting comical and sometimes he almost grinned at his craftiness. Something had clicked in all the important conduits of Sunny's heart, brain and soul that he simply had no way to explain. He didn't believe that a significant emotion could be aroused to such intensity and that so quickly. It just had happen, and that's why he was confused. He made up his mind at that point that he would talk to her and he would gain her confidence. That vagrant thought was a decision; it was something he wanted had surprised him. He frowned at himself. His brain was now not operating smoothly. He was desperately in love with her. Every movement Sandra made every word she spoke, every time she made eyes with him or she laughed, smiled or frowned, he felt as though he could watch her forever and never grow tired of it. He almost laughed at the absurdity. But then again, how crazy could it be when it was how he felt? Sunny wasn't exactly sure, but he continued to watch her with great deal of intent, iring her slim figure and her charming face. He had to it she was not only beautiful, but stunning. He had no idea of how to attract her in the first place, going straight and proposing her was no solution. He hesitated to talk to

her, but why had he hesitated? He wanted to meet her, ask something, but her expression signaled that she would not be communicative if he did. So he had decided to leave before things turned uncomfortable for her. What would he say any way? Hello, I'm also working in this company, and I'm sort of stalking you?

During next few days Sunny tried to be friendly with Sandra. 'I would like your opinion on Ancy,' he asked. She shot a glance at him and plainly said. 'I don't enter in any office politics.' 'It's not official.' 'No. I don't have any.' 'But you are in this office for more than two years.' 'So what if I'm here?' She said and then thought for some time and got herself busy in her work. She was not interested in giving any positive or otherwise remarks on Ancy. 'Please Sandra, I need it,' insisted Sunny. 'You are not a child. I think either you are insane or dumb. Can't you understand anything,' she said angrily. 'I'm confused with her behavior.' 'Then don't listen to her, and do your work.' 'You are scolding me like a school teacher.' 'Yes I am trying to be one.' 'That's a good idea. It suits with your personality.' 'Thanks for your compliment,' and she left for her seat. Sunny smiled and uttered loudly, 'Mona Lisa.'

She turned, and looked at him angrily, but didn't say anything to him.

2

Sunny had arrived in Bombay with a fire in his belly, and there was something more subtle defiance, which couldn't be explained. At the close of three months he had established himself in his job, and had developed a reputation of a 'Can Do' executive. He was not first to arrive or the last to leave in office, but had work ethic which created a confidence in the organization that work would be get done on time and with the highest quality. And he did this all in an easygoing way, which rarely generated any tension. He introduced number of new clients in the company, but all the incentive had invariably gone to the of Luca. However company's MD had occasionally appreciated his working on phone. In sharp contrast, Luca and Ancy were often the topic of conversation for opposite reason. Words like unresponsive, unpleasant and negative were used frequently to describe them. Luca was a bitter-man, and he revealed his bitterness in every success of Sunny. He was convinced that for everything Sunny does was to be blamed. Sandra and Nandu were neutral and were doing their job well. Ancy was desperate to develop friendship with Sunny, but was convinced that he was more interested in Sandra, her slim and beautiful competitor. She didn't want to lose him, and she started wearing more revealing dresses to make him her sex slave. Sunny had realized that, Ancy and Luca deserved their reputation in the office. A team of Sunny, Nandu, Sandra and Patricia, all likeminded people was made though Sandra was ive member, and occasionally participated in their gossips. Sunny felt a strong bond with all. He was enchanted by Sandra's open easy way, her energy, and her way of working in the office, although she had always been quiet and reserved, and cautious with her words. Sunny tried many time to be friendly with Sandra but all his efforts were in vain. She was unconcerned as if she had drawn a line in her mind for him and he wanted her to cross it badly. Sunny knew he needed to offer more than a rendezvous to get her attention. He always thought of some opportunity to propose her. His heart overruled his head. He couldn't think of his life without her, as he was desperately in love with her.

From time to time Sandra had find Sunny staring at her when he thought he was unobserved and there was an expression on his face that Sandra found hard to define. She knew he was lonely, and he never talked about any of his friends and never discussed his personal life. She wondered whether Sunny himself knew what he wanted out of life. She wished that there were some way she could help him. She also found herself thinking about him constantly. She knew she was being ridiculous, but she was also unable to get him out of her mind. She tried to rationalize by telling herself that it was natural feeling. That was true, but Sandra knew it was more than that. It was a feeling she had never felt for any other boy. He was shy, witty and charming. He had never said any word that could hurt, or misconstrued.

One day Sandra excitedly announced the visit of one Mr. Brown from company's London office. He was a retired senior bank manager and now director in the London's company. It was his second visit in last one year. Sandra was told his sudden visit was to meet with few important clients of the company. Sandra booked the best hotel for his stay and ordered a cake and bouquet for the occasion. Extra care was taken for cleanliness in office, and she specifically told Nandu not to spread his papers on his desk. Mr. Brown was very fine generous gentleman, and disposed to easy indulgence of those around him. He brought two wrapped gifts for Sandra, sent by his daughter Wendy and Sally (office manager of London office), and cookies and candies for other staffs. Next day a party was arranged in a big hall of a five star hotel and all important clients of the company were invited. Orchestra blared and a faint haze of smoke that even the air-conditioning could not wholly eliminate hung over the dimly lit hall. In party everybody was dressed elegantly. Sunny had no idea what to wear, and he was in his formals as usual. Sandra looked gorgeous, her hair was down on shoulders, studs gleamed at her ears, and neck illuminating a face so naturally lovely that no makeup could've improved it, it was something which Sunny was never lucky see before, and it was more than that, she was wearing a red dress over a jean and bracelets on her arms. She even looked taller what can be attributed to her heels. Sandra was the kind of girl who

wore simple dresses and was focused. Here she was laughing and talking with company's clients. Sunny had never seen her laugh this way before, more patronizing and genuine. It was as if she had come from a shop after remodeling. At first, Sunny thought she was just another beautiful girl in the party on the other side of hall, but when she stopped laughing and began listening to someone he recognized her. She crossed her arms, as she watched him. She tapped her nails against her arm, and smiled courteously almost at an interval. The effect was innocent, pure and alluring. He now knew it was really her at that moment. The first thought that came in Sunny's mind was to kidnap her. He wondered why she was too opinionated, stub-born, and headstrong about him. He looked at her from a distance then started walking towards her, she was busy talking someone. In the way he saw Nandu and tried to converse with him for some time, but soon he yawned as he listened to him for a while. Soon Sunny swallowed hard and walked right down the middle of guests, breaking up everyone's conversation and trying not to knock over end-tables. He kept apologizing to people he bumped into and as he came near her he ed a dozen quick things about Sandra and his thoughts scared him into the opposite corner. Then suddenly and without any warning she looked at him, and he felt a sense of panic, and his fear told him to run away. There was a man standing right next to him who was not talking to anyone, so he introduced himself and turned his back to Sandra. He needed more than a few seconds to think about what he was about to say to man. He shook his hand with him, but this was completely instinctive. The rings in man's hand rubbed against his skin in a funny way, almost like a squeak. He had glasses and freckles, and Sunny had met him once during a presentation.

At this moment Ancy took a deep breath, ran a quick caressing hand over her short hair and entered the party. The place was crowded, filled with elite businessmen. She stopped a ing waiter, lifted a glass of scotch from the silver serving tray and took a sip. Nice! She liked the taste of scotch, especially expensive scotch. After taking another sip, she allowed the liquid to linger in her mouth a minute before swallowed it. She scanned the huge room searching for Sunny. He was nowhere

seen, but she was not ready to give it up that easily. Ancy's life was perfect by her standards. Her apartment was luxurious, her car a new Corolla, her friends smart, rich, witty and well connected, and her lover company's MD was a wealthy man in London. Where the hell was Sunny? She didn't think he would be late for a company's function like that. Soon she caught glimpse of him. Sunny was talking with a guest.

After a while Sunny again looked over Sandra and wondered if she was still there. No, she was seen nowhere. He excused the man from the conversation, walked away and stuck his hand in his pants pockets. He had no drinks, perhaps Sandra would not like him drinking. He kept his head down and headed for the door. It wasn't that far and he was looking at his feet when someone grabbed his arm. Ancy slipped her arm around him. 'What's up buddy? It's nice to see you again,' she said and her gaze never left his face. Before Sunny could say anything she took him to a table and occupied a seat next to him. She looked at him approvingly. 'You look marvelous today. I'm really impressed,' she said. Sunny looked at his dress and then smiled at her, one of those sober smiles that he did not appreciate. Ancy kept her grip on his bicep and she had a drink in her other hand. The drink was barely escaping her lips long enough for her to speak. 'What's up? How are you doing? Enjoying you?' She said. Sunny as he could say. 'I was making introductions. I'm going around and introducing myself to people.' Ancy took a long swig of her drink and shrugged her shoulders. 'God, I'm starving,' she said suddenly. 'I'd to skip lunch today, I was so busy, you know.' She waved to a ing waiter and piled a plate with an assortment of delicacies. 'What do say, we ditch this party early and go to my place,' she whispered in his ear. 'Eat up with me and then let's go out of here,' she said and downed several more shrimps, and then leaned over him and said in a low voice. 'Should we go

out for some time or something?' This made Sunny more uncomfortable. 'No.' She took another swig, and punched his shoulder. 'What do you mean by, no?' she said and looked straight in his eyes. Sunny thought of talking something to her. Then he suddenly asked her innocently, 'Why don't you marry with a good looking guy, I mean a handsome man?' She didn't seem to notice he was teasing her. She shrugged then laughed. 'I tried marriage seriously, but I don't seem to have much luck with husbands. How come you never wanted to marry me?' He laughed. 'You never asked me!' 'Is that the only reason buddy? Don't you like Sandra?' she asked with a surprise look at him. Now Sunny didn't know what to say he shyly smiled. 'Do marry her, I can wait for you. You're going to be my next husband. Now everything is settled and we're formally engaged, let's get the hell out of here and go someplace and find a better place.' Sunny made a mouth of bored impatience. 'Leaving,' he said. 'I've got to go.' 'Why?' she asked. 'Aren't you want to have a good time with me?' She asked and then looked at main door of hall. 'Meet me at the front door in ten minutes. I see a friend client just arrived, while you pacify your stomach. I'll go talk a little business with him.' Sunny laughed and shrugged his shoulders. She tilted her head and smiled, her eyes were still flirting. 'Was she drunk?' he thought. Ancy and her friend client had become lovers nearly a year ago, sometimes staying the night in her apartment, sometimes in his, and twice they had gotten away for a few days together, to Goa six month ago, and to Shimla last month. When their affair ended, which she knew it would, she missed him. On the last occasion when they stayed at her apartment she had awakened the next morning to find him gone.

Sunny find himself relaxed now, but soon Ancy again surprised him. 'I want to go home,' she said. Of course she was fully drunk now, but still in enough control to know she couldn't drive home. That bloody driver Ram Singh doesn't seem to be anywhere anymore. Would you mind? I'd really appreciate it. This city, you know? It's dangerous at night,' and she put down her drink on a table, and wobbled slightly. Sunny looked around for Sandra, if she was there for his rescue, and she was standing just behind him smiling. 'No problem, this hotel cab will drop her to her home,' Sandra said. 'That's fine,' Sunny said with relief. Soon a cake was cut and everybody cheered.

Next day Sandra, Nandu, and Patricia got a raise. Sunny was promoted as Marketing Manager and now he was entitled to company's incentive on all his sales, and in future he would be working independent of Luca. Expectedly Ancy had made her demand to visit London for three months which was rejected. Luca was upset after a long meeting with Mr. Brown in a close conference room. Curiously when Sunny asked for the reason from Sandra, she said. 'I think he made a big loss to company, but I'm not sure,' she replied. 'What loss?' Sunny asked again. 'I don't know, Mr. Brown didn't tell me.'

Mr. Brown left for London, and on last day Sandra sent a Punjabi dress for his daughter and a Kashmiri shawl for Sally, the office manager at London office. On his promotion Sandra came to him to congratulate him. They shook hands and on touching her Sunny felt a tingle rush through his body. Now his face was flushed and he was sweating a little. He looked straight in her eyes and it took

Sandra few moments to interpret his feelings. 'How long you're working here?' he asked. 'From two years.' 'Are you local, I mean do you belong to Bombay?' 'No, I'm from Poona. I came to Bombay for my MBA, and now I'm doing this job.' 'Do you live alone?' Sunny asked and suddenly realized it was not appropriate to ask a girl like that, but affairs of the heart were beyond his expertise. She gave a cool look and then a friendly stare. He recognized her as she had complete control of her life 'I stay in a working girl's hostel,' she said. 'Do you get a day off?' he asked looking hopeful. 'Sometimes,' she said and looked as if she didn't mind it, which made him more curious about her. 'What's your real name,' he asked then he ed her name and felt awkward of asking. 'Simran Batra, and I've a mobile phone also, but I use it for office work only,' she said looking at him half amused. 'I was trying to get your mobile from other source,' he said with boyish grin, and she laughed. It was a wonderful sound, and Sunny laughed, his first laugh in more days than he could count. 'Just tell me, if you need anything. I mean if you've any problem.' Sunny said sheepishly and again thought he said something irrelevant. He feared that he would not be able to find anything to talk about, but Sandra made it all so easy that he found himself comfortable. Every time he thought about her, and her pretty face emerged before his eyes. He couldn't be in love with her, infatuation was more likely, he thought. What she

will think, if he propose her to marry, it would destroy his impression on her. She was full of life and when he had looked in her eyes, he felt like he could see her soul. He was haunted by her thoughts; she was most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Everything about her was exciting and different. Sunny was absolutely certain that their meeting was fated. He felt fourteen years old and a stalker. He laughed at his own thoughts. In the night, when Sunny's head hit the pillow after a hasty dinner, his eyes failed to close, and his thought returned to Sandra. He wasn't a believer in destiny, though if anything was going to happen between them, it would probably be up to him to make the first move. He was totally confused as to what that first move should be, and he wondered how long it would be before he will see her again.

After promotion Sandra's behavior changed with Sunny. She became friendlier with him and also started discussing all company's matters freely. Sunny was very excited and now he started working with more zeal and with new enthusiasm. He purchased a Royal Enfield motor cycle, and he was sure that with Sandra he could do wonders, and soon he would be financial consultant better than Luca! Another day in office Patricia asked Sunny about his date of birth, and he told it was on 13th October. She smilingly said, 'Sandra's birthday is also on same day.' 'Really! Do we celebrate birthday in the office?' asked Sunny. 'Yes we do, with cake and a small party in the office.' Sunny immediately thought of buying one fine gift for Sandra. He tried to hide his anxiety and asked Patricia about her birthday. 'It's tomorrow,' she said. 'Wow! That's great!' he exclaimed and next day he brought one big chocolate for Patricia and wished her for the occasion. In heart he thanked her for the information about Sandra's birthday. Absorbed in thought of Sandra Sunny saw her clung lovingly in his arm and he was smiling down into those speaking eyes of hers. It was hardly necessary for him to say anything because he could see from the expression of her eyes, that her heart was full of pleasure and delight as

his own. Soon he came out of his reverie and thought of buying a gift for Sandra's birthday. But choosing a right gift for her was a hard choice and all things that comes to his mind were not enough, too small, and not appropriate to convey his true feelings. There were still ten days, and every day after office he started visiting various markets, and spending hours looking at displays of shops. He thought of buying a gold ring---------no, it will be too early to propose her, and will not be right as a birth day gift, he thought. A nice watch----No, she may not like it. A mobile phone----No, it will not convey his feelings. Perhaps a nice bracelet for her----------No, no, no-------------, and finally he tugged open the door of a shop and walked in. In the shop shelves were lined in the walls and were filled with pretty much conceivable dresses and he bought a red velvet Punjabi dress with shining embroidery on it, the type of dress usually given to would be bride at time of engagement or marriage in northern part of the country. The choice of the wrap was again a hard choice.

On birthday after a small party in the office Sunny anxiously and excitedly waited for her outside, and when Sandra was leaving he suddenly popped out from behind and approached her. He again wished her happy birthday and as she extended her hand for a handshake. He gave her the wrapped packet and moved closer to kiss her. Watching the way she reacted to his approach he thought irritably, she couldn't bear being in an enclosed space with him. 'I love you,' he said. Sandra stared at him. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Ever. She didn't know what to say and stayed silent, her face hot. And before she could react he said, 'I thought I would tell you that I'm in love with you.' 'Don't panic,' he added when he saw the flush of fear in her eyes. 'I wouldn't hurt you.'

She blushed furiously, but didn't say a word and stormed out of building. 'Damn it!' he burst out angrily. He was just few steps behind her. He moved closer and caught her arm firmly to stop her. The reaction he got shocked him. She cried out, 'I don't want you near me,' twisting sharply away from him, her eyes wide and dark and fearful. Her words stung his pride, but he didn't let her see. 'Tell me why, then.' He persisted. His gaze was level and unblinking. 'I thought you're good friend of me,' she said huskily averting her eyes. He saw tears in her eyes. He grimaced, that made his heart beat started rising quickly. He had never proposed a girl like this. Moreover he didn't have the courage and intention to listen refusal from her. 'I'm sorry. I didn't realize how---------how silly I was behaving. That was absurd. I wouldn't embarrass you any more, I promise. I liked you, that were all,' he said with genuine sincerity, gazing up at her face. Her eyes closed on a wave of pain. 'Now will you let me go?' she said huskily and moved away from him. Sunny felt something stir in him, and knocked him in the knees, that made his heart beat skip. He could barely breathe, almost frantic. He turned and went away. He had to get his imagination under control, he thought. If he could control his foolish emotions, they might get become friends. He could hardly hope anything more with working with her in the company.

In the night Sunny could not sleep and thought about Sandra's reaction after his unruly behavior. He realized belatedly that what had frightened her. Everything was in confusion and everything was in chaos. He lay on his bed vigorously embracing a pillow and buried his face in it. All at once he jumped up, sat up in the bed and fully opened his eyes. 'What she will think about my gift? How she would react now? Whether she will return my gift or she'll slap me in front of all in the office and hate me for whole life? Whether she will complain to MD for my behavior? Does she become angry and throw the dress on my face? No, she can't do that, after all God has

made her for me!' he thought. 'No, she won't forgive me. She can't forgive me. And the most awful thing about it is that it's my entire fault...........my entire fault................. though I'm not to blame, I am in love with her, that's the point of whole situation. I love you Sandra.........I love you Sandra.........' he kept repeating in despair. In midnight he ed that he had missed his dinner in her thoughts and now it was too late for it. He searched something to eat in his room, but could not find anything interesting.

Next day he woke up at his usual hour that is six o'clock in the morning, not on his bed, but on a sofa. And when he was dressed, he sprayed scent on himself to look fresh, and in spite of unhappiness he walked straight, and as he sipped his morning tea he again thought of Sandra. 'It is unjust and immoral to compel her to accept my proposal. She is simple and straight forward girl and I must apologize with her for my stupidity. But it would be sad injustice with me, she had refused my proposal,' he muttered recalling that had happened day before and every detail of his encounter with her became real before his eyes. When he reached office he didn't find her and when she came she had a wrap in her hand. He looked at her and there happened to him at that instant what does happen to thieves when they are caught red-handed. He could not succeed in adopting his face to the position in which he was placed towards her every day. She had refused to accept his Gift? He panicked. What to do? Now what to do? He said to himself in despair and found no answer. And when he had a split second glance at her, she was looking at him. All the day Sandra's behavior was normal and Sunny thought of her with expression of horror, despair and indignation. In the evening he felt relaxed that she had not abused him, and had not created a scene of him. But at the time of closing office she came to his desk and handed him that wrap which she had brought with her. 'It's for you Sunny, in case you don't like the color or it is different in size I'll get it replaced. Happy Birth Day to you,' she said with a smile.

'Thank God,' he said instead of thank you and she looked at him with amazement. His knees were shaking and his heart began to beat so fast and he thought he would have a heart attack. Actually this was what he wanted all the time. 'Are you alright?' she said. 'Yes, of course,' he replied nervously and she touched his hand and said. 'You have a temperature.' He thought he will burst and said, 'I don't know.' She searched in her purse and took out a pill and then brought a coffee from pantry and told him to take proper medicine from the doctor in the night.

On his way to his home Sunny stopped his motor cycle at a lonely place and opened the wrapped packet. It was a beautiful olive green jacket. He embraced it with his heart and promised; never to hurt her feelings and never to hurt her trust in him, even in his thoughts. 'Sandra you are my best friend, I love you Sandra and my love is unconditional for you.' He promised almost crying and looking at sky.

Sunny was brilliant, sharp and fascinating. Sandra was genuinely interested in what he was doing. In some strange way, the incident served to bring them closer together. They discussed things they had never talked about before. Every day Sunny on his return to office after his presentations Sunny was used to have his lunch outside. One day when he reached office early Sandra was about to start her lunch she had brought with her. 'Would you like to share my lunch?' she asked. 'No, thank you,' he said. After a while he looked at her presuming she was busy eating her meal, but found her waiting for him. He shyly accepted her invitation and enjoyed

homemade food after a long time. It was hard for him to concentrate on her meal, but it was most delicious food he ever enjoyed in his life. After sharing her lunch he ordered pizza in office to share with her.

Another day that was Sunday, Sunny went to crossword shop in a Mall near Andheri, and saw Sandra in a shop with her friend. Sunny hesitated to talk with her, but purchased a small gift for her from a shop. After a while he saw that Sandra's friend had left. He thanked her friend in his mind and approached her. Sandra watched him coming with a gift. He looked shy and tanned. He smiled and waved at her and then shoved his one hand in the pocket of his jeans. 'It's nice to see you.' 'Hi,' she said smilingly. 'Enjoying Sunday?' 'Yes, I came here for some shopping,' she said. 'I brought you something,' he said shyly. 'Thank you. It's beautiful,' she exclaimed as she unwrapped the packet. It was a lovely pink silk scarf, her favorite color. 'Do you like the food over there?' he asked pointing at a kiosk opposite of crossword shop. 'May I tell you after I've eaten there?' she said and laughed. They went and occupied a corner table. Sandra ordered for sandwiches, and then asked, 'Coffee?' Sunny nodded. They ate together and Sandra poured out two cups of coffee. She sat across from Sunny and looked at her watch. Sunny took a bite of sandwich and swallowed it down with some coffee.

'I'm sorry; I made you feel uncomfortable on birth day. I didn't mean---------------.' 'It's okay.' 'I hope I'm not boring you, isn't me?' Sunny asked hesitantly. 'No.' she said, and it wasn't a lie. She had agreed suddenly. She wanted to say no, but couldn't. It was as though someone else was guiding her, telling her what she do, and telling her what she must do. In the beginning she had not been impressed with Sunny, but now things were different. She could not explain to herself what was happening to her, for she had never experienced anything like it before. All she knew that she wanted to be with him more than she had wanted anything in her life. Looking at him, she visualized him making love to her, holding her and she felt her face becoming red. She had no control over herself. 'I came to Bombay to complete my MBA, and then I got this job,' she said finding him not speaking to her. And he told her he belonged to Chandigarh and asked. 'Have you ever been to Chandigarh?' 'No, I've seen picture of Chandigarh. It's lovely.' They sat there talking of everything and nothing and their words had no meaning. They talked so fast, the words cascaded out of their mouths. There was no stopping; they were ripping through story after story like a locomotive. They had no idea what they talked about and they wanted to talk more and do that again. Only there didn't seem to be a next time. They sat at the table, locked in an invisible embrace, caressing each other. Neither of them had any idea what they were eating or what they were saying. There was a different, more demanding hunger in them and it kept mounting over time, and neither of them could understand it. The ecstasy between them was almost unbearable. When their hands touched accidently, it was like an electric charge between them.

While Sandra finished her shopping that afternoon, she found that she had to

push Sunny from her head again and again. It wasn't right that she should think so much about him. What was he to her after all? -A handsome boy, an interesting person, a co-worker, a colleague, but nothing more. And no matter how appealing he was, she tried to forget him and suddenly he would crop up in her thoughts. Outside, the rain came down like water slopped from a bucket. She was still thinking of him as she threw her bags into a cab and headed to her home. 'You've to drive slowly; I could hardly see a car length in front of me,' she said to cab driver, and he made it through the muddy lanes. Again suddenly in her mind's eye she saw crystal clear view of Sunny, a shy, tough and loving Sunny. In the cab, her hair were blowing wild in the wind. Effortlessly, without a conscious command to the muscles, her smile spread across her face. A strange feeling of warmth bubbled up in her throat, despite the rain spattered on her face. 'O my God.' She muttered out loud, and the driver glanced at her. 'Is something wrong, madam?' driver asked. She had to laugh at herself and shook her head. 'Sorry. I was miles away.' He nodded. He had heard it all before, anyway and as long as she gave him a decent tip, that was all he cared about. Later, when Sandra thought about that luncheon, she tried to what they had talked about, what they had eaten; who had stopped by the table, but all she could was nearness of Sunny, his smile, his looks. It was as though he had some kind of spell and she was mesmerized, helpless to break it.

3

Sunny had a crush on Sandra and when he looked at her for the first time, and before he took his next breath that she was the one he could spent the rest of her life iring her beauty. She seemed that good, perfect and stunning, but he didn't know how to win her heart. Every day he spent much of his morning time deciding what to wear, something he had never concerned himself with before, but which now seemed vitally important. He was not certain what he expected from the day. What he was sure about was that he wanted to see Sandra. It seemed like a careless daydream. All he knew was he wanted to be with her again. He wanted that very much. He was smiling all the way to the office and could hardly wait to see her again. He felt like destiny had been very kind now. In his office he sat down at his desk and methodically moved through papers. But soon put down his pen and his thoughts drifted back to Sandra. Ancy glanced at Sunny, and his gaze again reverted for an instant on the Sandra. Ancy frowned. From the way Sunny was looking at Sandra, it was obvious to her that he was infatuated with Sandra. What the hell was going on? She made a sideway glance at Sandra, but she was busy with her computer. 'Stupid, bitch,' Ancy murmured. Sandra couldn't hear the slang used for her. Ancy looked at Sunny once more, now he was gone for his presentation. But she could not forget the look he had given to Sandra. She had seen something she did not like, and he had made a mistake. The overriding guilt had been replaced with overriding hate for Sandra, an anger that surged through every nerve in her body, and it was headed towards a dead end. She shook her head with anger at the position the Sandra had put her in, but it was all she could do, and not break her neck. But she promised herself one thing. If she lived to do nothing else, she would ensure that this girl would suffer. She would rip her from her safe confines of career and hurl her right into the shit, and she would enjoy every minute of it.

Next day when Sandra arrived in the office she didn't notice Ancy staring at her.

The look was not one of casual, not anywhere close. 'Late for the work?' asked Sunny as he approached Sandra. She turned around, startled, but then she smiled. 'It's doctor's appointment.' 'I hope nothing serious?' 'No.' Sunny walked to his desk and thought about Sandra. Ancy was looking at him, she came close at him. 'So you were talking to the pretty chick?' she said. 'What?' 'I said she is pretty.' 'Who?' 'Sandra. Where did you sleep last night?' 'I slept in my home.' 'Uh-huh,' she smiled. 'I thought you slept with her, didn't you?' This time Sunny almost blinked. She was really getting him. 'What makes you say that?' She studied him closely. 'Oh, I don't know. But a glow on your face can always tell that.' 'Well, you're wrong. I have to get go.' 'Where?'

He stared at her. 'To my work.' 'Good, I'm ready to you.' 'I don't think that's a good idea.' 'And I don't think it's a good idea me just sitting ideal and doing nothing, except waiting for you. So either I go with you or let me come with you. Either way, I'm happy. I wouldn't have it any other way.' Sunny looked at her and just walked away. Ancy couldn't understand why Sunny wasn't enamored of her.

In afternoon when Sunny came after his presentation, he noted the pain in Sandra's face. 'You okay?' he asked anxiously. She smiled resignedly. 'Especially since I've been working diligently and still everyday someone is judging me not just my position on issues, but for how I talk, look and walk. It's ridiculous.' 'That doesn't seem right. In fact it seems fairly petty,' said Sunny. He was sure she must have met with Ancy in the day. 'May be, I'm just tired,' she said wearily. 'Life can suck sometimes.' 'Yes, it can.' Sunny sat near her on a chair. 'I'll have a day off tomorrow,' she said. 'Why's that?' 'I'm going to enjoy my day off.' 'I would too. You know great minds think alike.' Sunny tried to cheer her up.

'So is this a day to spend together? What do you think?' he asked. 'I really enjoy outing.' 'Me, too.' 'But......,' she paused. 'What? Are you afraid of me?' 'No, I'm good and quick judge of people, always have been. You make me feel, I don't know, good about myself. But sometimes I get depressed, I don't know.' 'Hell, we all do get depressed,' he said and gently touched her hand. 'So tomorrow's outing final?' 'Yes.' 'I'll meet you at your guest house at nine in morning. 'Okay,' she said by forcing a smile on her face. 'You've a nice smile,' Sunny remarked. 'You should use it more often.' In the evening when Sandra walked out of office she didn't notice Ancy staring at her. The look was not of casual, not anywhere close.

Next day they went for a long drive on motorcycle. Sandra had on a yellow Tshirt and jeans, and she was still upset by the incident of her encounter with Ancy day before. She sat down next to Sunny. It was a casual thing but it was very intimate and unusual for him. A numbed nerve end suddenly clicked in and screwed at him; she likes him too, he thought. Her smiles, her wink, her laugh, agree for outing with him. She likes him too. Then she touched his shoulder and her touch burned him like electricity. 'Let's go,' she said. From eastern highway they turned left and entered Mulund and soon saw the

sign of a Mall. They pulled off and found a restaurant. 'I'm hungry,' said Sandra 'Me too,' Sunny said and they walked fast towards a pizza hut they had seen from a distance. The restaurant was long and cozy. The central wedge had plenty of tables. But none of them was occupied. Not a nice place to sit, still Sunny bought two pizzas and a large bottle of coke to share between them. 'Bloody bitch,' she murmured and took a troubled breath as she took a bite from her pizza. 'I've always tried to keep a distance with her but she always followed me like a bad smell. She is always rude and weird than any one I'd ever met one. Her superiority complex and her behavior are disgusting. What do you think about her?' Sunny cocked his head. 'Is that important? Why do you want to hear something from me you already know?' Sandra turned her face to scrutinize him. If he was playing dumb, he was doing exceptional job she thought. 'You sound like a good friend of her. And you didn't answer my question.' 'People like Ancy are rare.' 'And, me? People like me are dime a dozen.' Sunny looked at her but didn't respond her. He knew she was irritated and he tried to avoid any conversation about Ancy. They finished their pizza slices and drained the shared can of coke. Sunny was lost in her thoughts, and he wiped his mouth with back of his hand, and then wiped the back of his hand on his pants. She ed him a paper napkin from a holder and looked at him angrily. Sunny knew Sandra was looking at him angrily, but he avoided his gaze at her and then smiled. Sandra murmured something he tried to make out but he couldn't. They walked in the mall aimlessly looking at displays on shops. She was looking good and she had rolled her shirts sleeves. She had a livid red birthmark on her forearm. Her hair was down and she moved with energy, a wary, quizzical look never leaving her eyes, but there was no fear, no tension. For what, Sunny wasn't

entirely sure. Sandra looked at him and stifled a yawn. Her head started to pound. She had never needed much rest, but right now she felt like sleeping for next whole year. Suddenly she saw something and her eyes sparked with life. Sunny looked ahead, there was nothing unusual. 'Rachna was my mother's name,' she said looking at a sign board. Sunny followed her gaze; there was a small shop with the name Rachna Boutique, across the lane. 'Rachna is a nice name.' Sandra didn't say anything for a long moment. Talking about her past was always hard, so she rarely did so. And she really didn't know Sunny much. Still there was something about Sunny that was comforting. 'I really loved my mom, she was a great mother.' 'You sound like you still miss your mother.' 'Yes, I do, because she loved me,' she said proudly. 'She named me Simran. She told me I was most beautiful person God has ever created on the earth. She told me stories of angels and butterflies.' She closed her eyes, tears trickled down her cheeks. Sunny pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and slipped it into her hand. She wiped her eyes. 'I'm sorry,' she said. 'I've never really talked about this with anyone before.' After walking silently for some time Sunny said. 'You look beautiful, Sandra.' She smiled in a resigned way. 'Liar, I look like a hell, I know.' He smiled at her, and then gripped her hand and said,' I'm not lying, and you know it.' 'Thank you,' she said slowly, the pain in her face was so evident.

They exchanged a smile. Sandra saw a departmental store and she headed straight in to the women's section. Sunny followed her, but she told him to go check the men's section instead. He said, 'I don't need anything.' 'I think you do,' she said. 'Like what?' 'A shirt,' she said. 'If you get one, you can give me your old shirt.' 'Why?' 'I'm going to junk it,' she said. 'You need something better.' 'Why?' 'I want you to look nice,' she said. So he went in men's section and browsed shirts on his own, and soon he found a blue stripped shirt. He changed in the cubicle and trashed his old shirt and checked in the mirror. He looked good, but he was not sure. Nicer than before, maybe, but that was as far as he was prepared to go. Then twenty minutes later Sandra came back in a total outfit. 'Surprised? 'Yes, it suits you.'

Outside they did some window shopping. They went in a curio shop; Sandra purchased a strange bracelet for her. On return journey in the evening Sandra said, 'I want to drive the rest of way,' and swing her leg over the motor cycle seat. 'Okay,' he said eyeing her pant, then shrugged and climbed on behind her. As she

ignited the engine he immediately hugged himself against her back, his arms around her waist. 'Not so tight,' she said and tried to shake free of him. When he only tightened his arms, she twisted about to face him. 'All right let me tell you something. I don't particularly trust you.' 'Hmm, what else do you think about me?' 'You're probably something like flirt.' Interesting, he thought. He pushed a bit ahead. He felt a shock go through his body, but she didn't flinch and gunned the motor cycle. After a while suddenly she turned her head and looked at him. 'Why don't you marry Ancy? She is rich, beautiful and likes you.' 'I hate fake things.' Sunny said and then smiled. Now Sandra was completely silent, she drove motorcycle like a robot, competently, not fast, not slow, displaying a mechanical competence with lane markers and stop lights and road signs. She parked in front of her hostel and left the engine running. She got out and walked over to the stair case. He smiled at her back but he was worried. He knew her sour relations with Ancy, who had sold her soul to devil. Sandra was smart but and too impulsive that could get her hurt 'Everything will be Okay,' he said loudly. 'Trust me.' 'No, I won't,' she said and then disappeared.

In the night Sandra dropped off to sleep quickly, exhaustion weighing her down, forcing her into weary dreams. She slept restlessly, just under the conscious level, and she was with Sunny in a bed. She got up and fumbled for the table lamp. She snapped it on and looked around wildly. There was no one there. She was alone in the room. She sank back on the pillow, her body trembling helplessly; even her facial muscles were twitching. 'I'm going crazy, I'm losing my mind,' she thought. For the rest of the night, she

did not turn off the light. She moved around the room, and then sat on a chair. She was reasonably ambitious all her life; she had no drive to accomplish anything else in her professional life. It was like she had used up all her energy in getting to this point. She had avoided romance, until her eyes had caught the sophisticated and refined boyish Sunny who began his ionate pursuit of her. But she was still confused by her feelings for him, till she finally appreciated the pleasures of exploring the heart. Marriage and being a mom, was that what she wanted. She had no sibling and been pretty spoiled grown up. She was not used to being around kids all that much, but something pulled at her in this direction. Something very strong and compelling was there, but even so, she wasn't sure. And shouldn't she be now? As she went into bed, she realized that having a family required one thing to start; finding someone to love. She had just met with a truly exceptional young man. Did she want get married now? That was her last thought before falling asleep.

It was one a.m. and Sunny had been asleep for two hours and then his eyes opened. He knew from long experience that it was useless to just lie on bed like that. He got up, padded in the room and then went over to the top of building. City was asleep, at least most of it part. He thought about Sandra and her pretty face emerged before his eyes, hurrying, laughing, and looking at him. He felt embarrassed for thinking about her. He told himself it was just a friendship meeting. But that wasn't true. He pulled his mobile and called her number. 'Hello?' 'It's Sunny. How are you doing? Hope I didn't wake you.' 'You've called me to tell that! Are you okay?' She clicked off, and Sunny looked at his mobile amazed. After ten minutes, he again called.

'Good night,' she said and again clicked her phone. Now he was not sure what he was feeling.

Next day when Sunny reached office Ancy called him and said, 'I want you to pay my shop a visit on Sunday. I can predict your future accurately by tarot cards. I have lately been in Egypt to learn certain methods by which my predictions could be improved.' 'What is tarot card,' he asked with surprise. She looked at him with a smile and said, 'Let it remain a secret. I predict future, and let it remain a secret. Meanwhile understand that my predictions are quite personal, very specific, and very accurate. I shall advise you not to interfere with them in the office,' she said. Sunny thought for some time, but didn't say anything. In the evening after office hour he saw Ancy talking to someone on phone. He ed her pretending he didn't saw her. When he was starting his motorcycle, a hand touched his shoulder. He turned and saw Ancy smiling. 'Hi' 'Hi,' he said uneasily. 'Nice motor cycle.' 'Thank you.' 'Wouldn't you take me for a ride? May be we can share a nice time. I'm having a small party on Sunday and was hoping you could come. I hope you have my address?' 'Yes,' he replied hesitantly. 'You must come on Sunday, it will be real fun. By the way would you drop me at Worli, it's on your way.'

'Ok,' he agreed reluctantly. Ancy leaned into him, circled her arms around his waist and held it tightly. She was suddenly immersed in the dream. Maybe they could drive off and never come back. Maybe they go somewhere, a place no one would ever see them. Everything was fantasy and she wanted to devour it fully. Sunny turned and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Her lips were partly open and her eyes half closed. There was no doubt about her being in sexual excitement. She came more close to him. 'Don't you like me?' she asked in his ear. Sunny felt embarrassed but didn't say anything. 'I don't understand myself. I don't know what got into me when I see you,' she said again. Sunny didn't answer, and there was no need for a reply. He was certain from the way she had acted on the first day, and he knew it would not be the last. 'So we are meeting on Sunday, right?' she said. 'I'm sorry, I've got plans,' he said without missing a beat. 'Do you have lots of plans,' she said coyly. I'm really hoping that I fit into them also at some point.' 'Ancy, it's not good for office colleagues become personally involved.' 'Don't you believe me?' He smiled. 'I believe you.'

Sunny knew he was reasonably good looking, but he had never supposed himself exceptionally attractive. But he felt that he had something that make women interested in him. Nandu had told him that he radiated self confidence and security at the same time that he had an ability to make women feel at ease. But Sandra was definitely been a step in other direction.

In the night Ancy woke up and after getting from her bed she looked at her face in a large mirror and abruptly striped off her sleeping dress. She looked herself from the front side and then the back to check her angles. Her unwanted pregnancies had certainly done damages, her stomach had pretty much recovered, but her bottom was definitely not as firm as used to be. She looked at her body; it was not sagging as she thought at the moment. With nervous fingers she punched the extra skin under chin, and an acute depression sunk in her. She wandered in her bed room and thought of Sunny. His amazing physique and classic good looks were remarkable and immensely attractive to every woman. She again stared through the mirror; the thought struck her that they two will make a very attractive couple. It was an absurd opinion to have, but that didn't make the conclusion any less valid. He was tall, handsome, with a pair of enormous deep eyes. She touched her smooth cheek and nestled her lips against her hand. As she traced her jaw line she gasped as she realized what she was doing. She was examining herself like a piece of meat. She put her gown back on, and again thought of Sunny. She was attractive and Sunny loves her, she firmly believed. Right at this moment he must be thinking of her, she thought and picked up phone and dialed Sunny's number. 'Hello.' 'Guess who gave you a call?' 'Who are you?' 'It's Ancy dear. I've an important thing to say.' 'Madam it's four o' clock in the morning?' 'I know, but it's important.' 'Okay, what's that?' I'm having a little party tomorrow. It's going to be a wild ride. You interested?' 'Wild! How wild do you mean?'

'It's booze and sex. It's about Goofballs, Dollies, Hog. Have you ever chased the dragon? It is a funny way to inhale heroin you know.' 'I don't think it's a good idea.' 'Do you know meth? 'No, and I'm not interested in your party. Look you're wasting your time on me. Now why don't you get some sleep?' And he put down his phone and lay back on his bed and thought about Sandra. Soon he got another ring from Ancy. He looked in his watch it was almost 06:00 in the morning. 'Oh' God, are you crazy? Why don't you sleep?' he said irritably. 'You are insulting me,' she said angrily. 'Ok, I'm sorry.' 'No, I'm sorry. But I've to know, whether you're coming to my shop on Sunday?' 'No, and if you've any more question, then we can talk in the office,' he said and click off his mobile. He arose from his bed and prepared coffee and looked outside window. The Sun was rising and it was already time to get ready for the day. In the office he told Sandra about her and her invitation for party and tarot cards session. She didn't say anything, but when he told Nandu about her, he laughed and said; 'She is planning to seduce you.' 'I think she is crazy,' said Sunny. 'Are you going to her for tarot session or crazy party?' asked Nandu. 'No.' 'Why?' 'I don't like that bitch,' he said.

That day Ancy sent a friendly note to get together at her home. Sunny gave a funny little growl and tossed the note into his wastepaper basket. At first Sunny took it lightly and thought with a bust of laughing, that he was being sexually harassed at work. He pretended not to notice her blatant advances, but that only induced her to redouble her efforts. Ancy didn't miss an opportunity to be in close with him and it was becoming tiresome, and there was no way he wanted to come out of it. He didn't want to hurt or embarrass her, but Ancy was no more subtle than a mare in heat. Sunny was always worried what she might come up with next, or may hurt Sandra.

After the promotion of Sunny Luca pretended to be friendly with Sunny, and one day he told him the story of company's MD. That he was a college dropout, and his full name is Mahindra Dodeja, and he like himself called MD. He started his career as salesman of smuggled goods in Colaba. His father was an advocate of ill repute in Bombay High Court during British rule in the country, who worked more as a middleman than a lawman in the court. Most of his clientele were criminals and he charged them heavily even their loots. He had very little aptitude for the law and his philosophy was that the law was a frail rod meant to bend to match the needs of his client. With that in mind he reached the big leagues. He was an expert at suborning judges, discrediting witnesses, and bribing anyone who could help his case. It was natural that his son inherited his father's qualities. Apples do not fall away from their trees. When MD was fourteen, his mother died mysteriously. Two months later his father married a seventeen-year-old maid. When his father was asked why he married with girl, which is not even the half of his age. 'It isn't natural for a man to marry by his own choice,' his father had explained. MD was arrested several times for his nefarious activities. He started dealing in drugs for easy money, when his father knew he was sent to London through one of his acquaintances, who also helped him to get a job in a trade finance company. There he soon learnt the working of the company. His charming personality helped him to win confidence of owner, and he started embezzlement

of that company's money. He has two very important attributes - he is impressive looking and he is morally flexible. Soon his master died mysteriously and he inherited his entire wealth, including a hotel in a prime location in London. He had poisoned the owner. There was no actual proof, but there was plenty of suspicion. None of which seemed to matter much a year later, when he took his regime. He started dealing in properties and appointed a team retired bankers. He deals with small traders, especially those having difficulty in getting bank finance. His devilish smile, confidently telling lies, and giving assurance of his s in big banks has made him a big man. His other interest and expertise is in dealing with insurance claims of bad debts, and illegal immigration of people in England. He is a great gambler and his wealth has turned his brain. He is now over fifty years of age, and evidently a bad lot. His relatives don't speak with him at all and have anything to do with him. Fate had been kind to him like some other people who do wrong things, and resulting benefits were material. Sunny listened to him, but made no comments.

One day after returning from calls Sunny met Luca and hesitantly asked about Ancy. 'She's pretty damn hot! Have you ever been to see Ancy in her shop? She would be interested to show her shop and her wonderland.' Luca said amusingly. 'No.' 'She is one of the most remarkable and beautiful woman I have ever seen, but there seems to be a mystery about her. She own a small shop in Khar, I don't know what she is doing there. She keeps all her affairs strictly private. But you will be amazed to know.' 'What?' Sunny asked curiously. 'She is a professional beautifier, and a tarot reader. She also deals in cosmetics,

scents and fashion dresses. Her client goes to her and she does what is necessary to them. She is very clever bitch and knows a little bit of everything. She claims to have wonderful recipes with regards to beatification, and she also claims the privilege of restoring youth to those who consult her. She also declares that she make quite ugly people handsome. She openly confesses that she is very much older than she appears. She had travelled all over the world, and she says that by birth she is mixture of Indian and Italian, her father having been Indian, and her mother from Italy.' 'She is a strange woman,' said Sunny. Luca continued. 'In her small shop and behind those closed doors she conducts her businesses that bring her in tons of money. I do wonder for her clients that they pay her largely for her services! There is something remarkably engaging in her personality.' 'I don't understand her,' Sunny said and thought about her invitation for tarot reading, but didn't say anything to Luca. 'Don't you think she is lovely?' asked Luca. Sunny made no answer, and Luca continued. 'Long back she was hairdresser of MD's wife. I tell you one more interesting thing about her, whom perhaps you will not believe.' 'What?' 'She is a whore ready to sleep with anyone for money and surprisingly our MD trusts her for his money, house, vehicles and her come and goes round his property and believes her true and square in everything,' Luca said.

Another day when Sunny was about to leave office, Luca called him. 'Look Sunny today I'm going to be absolutely frank with you, and help you,' he said. 'You are new in this finance business, it is very rewarding. I will tell you some secrets of this business, and I want you to not disclose these to anyone.' 'And what are those?' Sunny asked quickly.

'I will give you some leads, and we will work together. We will keep a margin of commission to be shared equally between us. What I mean,' he continued, 'in that case you would be my partner in profit.' 'It is quite out of question, thank you. Why you want me to make your partner? When you can do that business yourselves,' Sunny said. 'You know I have some sore relations with few clients, and they will not give me any business. They are big businessmen and can provide business of high values, in case you can convince them.' 'Sorry, I'm not interested.' 'You young people often say such things because you don't know the worth of money,' said Luca impatiently. 'My honesty is not for sale, and I will not part it with it even for my weight of gold.' 'You say so, because you don't calculate how many houses, cars and luxuries one's weight in gold would buy!' 'Luca let me get you this straight. I don't want to make my fortune by fraud and manipulations. I tell you this must not be discussed any more. I say no and I mean no,' Sunny said decidedly. 'And you think you can do business better than me?' 'Yes, I may say so. Everyone thinks well of his own way and I think now this matter is over and you will let me do my job in my way. I am not interested in your offer,' Sunny said rising to leave. 'In case you change your mind, let me know. You must owe I've come with a pretty lucrative offer for you.' Sunny didn't say anything and left without saying anything, and then he discussed the matter with Sandra. 'This man sees his advantage and means to push it on you,' she said quietly.

'I would kick this man down,' Sunny said angrily. But the heaviest load he had left on his mind after this tiff with Luca, laid in foreseen opposition which he would have to encounter in office soon.

4

Another day Sunny offered Sandra to drop her at her guest house. First she was hesitant, but she reluctantly agreed. In the way he stopped his motor cycle near a restaurant, and asked her for dinner with him. Sandra wanted to keep a certain distance from him. She didn't want to start more than a friendship with him. Sunny also sensed that she was withdrawn and he asked her why, and she frankly said, 'I'm afraid.' 'You're afraid of what?' 'I'm afraid of you.' She looked up at him and smiled. 'Actually I'm more afraid of myself than of you. I've never gone outside with a boy, let alone to dinner. And I don't want to change myself.' 'That's ridiculous! There is no difference between boys and girls. I come to you because you fascinate me, and I like you very much,' and he looked down at her, and she felt something in her stir that laid dormant till now. 'I haven't met anyone that makes me crazy about somebody,' said Sunny. She smiled at his words, and laughed as he went on. 'I'm stubborn and I intend to pursue you, even if I've to pitch a tent outside your guest house.' 'Good. I'll order the tent as soon as I get back there. Now will you hurry to drop me at my guest house?' On reaching her guest house he looked into her eyes. 'All right then.' He took her face in his hands by surprise and kissed her gently. She blush beet red, 'Don't do that again,' she whispered. Sunny looked up. She felt rebellious and restless. 'I can't.' she said. 'Don't you love me!' he said. 'See, what you've done to me.' She accused him and her gasp was audible.

'Okay. I promise, I won't,' as he kissed her again and she felt a shiver run up her spine. She smiled dreamily up at him and she felt her heart lurch as she looked at him in the dark. A moment later he was rubbing his arm where she had slugged him He saw her with a grin on his face, like a school boy. 'Damn, that really hurt!' he said. 'And it'll be even more, if you keep it up,' she said and smiled as she went inside her guest house. In the night she missed him and she hated to leave him even until the next day. How was it possible? How had it happened to me? She thought, and she knew she was in love with him, but she didn't know what to do about it yet. She wanted to be near him, and was no longer sure she should. She felt as though she had died and gone to heaven.

In next two weeks, everything between them changed. They belonged to each other and they knew it. The friendship grew in-spite of Sandra's resolve to keep distance. They met outside office, they talked and they dined, and she felt as though she had known him all her life. They had the same interests, the same likes, and some of the same dislikes. They were together almost every evening after office, mostly roaming around some mall or at sea shore with their hands together. She told him things about herself that she had never told to anybody else. With Sunny there were no masks. It was a miracle, and they shared another miracle together; laughter. She thought about him when she was with him, and she thought about him when she was away from him, and her all things was at same wave length with Sunny. On Saturday after office hours they went on a shopping spree at Colaba. Sunny brought a dress for her, and she brought a T-shirt for him, and in night they had dinner together. Now they were not only friends, but lovers. They went to cinema and Sunny chosen the film with love stories. It seemed that all the popular songs they heard had been written for them. Now Sandra awakened every morning by the distant sound of the bells, and she enjoyed waking up slowly and languorously. She kept her eyes closed, knowing that there was something wonderful to . 'What was it?' The question

teased at her mind, and she pushed it back, not wanting to know just yet, but wanted to savor the surprise. And suddenly her mind was joyously flooded with it. Sandra tried to rationalize by telling herself that he was good looking, charming and witty. That was true, but she knew it was more than that. It was something she could not explain, even to herself. It was feeling she had never had for any other man. Sandra had sworn to herself that she would be friendly with Sunny, yet distant, and courteous but definitely not available. The moment she saw Sunny she forget those entire thing. That day they had lunch at a small restaurant at Colaba, and they talked steadily for two hours that seemed like two minutes. They talked about office, politics, and cinema and solved all the most complex problems of the world. On reaching his home in night Sunny closed the door, took off his shoes, lay back on the bed and dialed Sandra's number. 'Hi Sandra.....' 'Hu....?' 'What would you say if I tell you...?' He hesitated and she waited. 'I think.....I'm in love with you.' She pulled her hair back into pony tail and then answered softly. 'Good night,' she said and hung up. Sandra ranged Sunny after ten minutes. 'What are you doing up?' 'Thinking about you honey.' 'Don't call me honey.'

'Why? You're so sweet.' 'I'll kill you.' 'I'm ready to get killed.' 'Forget it, Good night.' She hanged up the phone, but could not sleep that night.

Another day in evening when they were strolling at sea shore, Sandra looked extremely beautiful as Sunny looked down at her. She was wearing jeans and a knitted tight T-shirt. 'I want to know about your life before that in Bombay,' asked Sunny. 'Why do you want to know about that?' Sandra was intriguing what could it matter to him now?' She was not sure what he wanted of her, yet oddly, she felt so safe with him. He was so earnest, as he looked down at her, and she smiled. No one had ever asked her anything like that before. 'You already know a great deal more than anyone,' she smiled. 'I've never told anyone about my life.' 'Nandu told me that your father was a renowned doctor in Civil Hospital in Poona, and he died in a road accident.' Yes, it's true. My father died in a road accident when I was just seventeen, and I'm ing myself since. My mother also died soon after the death of my father. She couldn't bear the shock of his separation. I was the only child to them, and now I'm an orphan,' said Sandra and she grew serious. 'My father wanted me to do my MBA from Bombay, so after my graduation I shifted here.' Sunny listened to her intently and nodded. Then she asked him about his past life. 'My father was Lieutenant Colonel in army and was killed in Kargil war. We shifted to Chandigarh after my father's death. I completed my graduation and then MBA.'

'Your mother is not with you in Bombay.' 'No, we have an apartment in Chandigarh; it was allotted by army after my father's death. My mother lives there.' 'Will she come here? I'll come to see her.' 'Sure,' he said.

Next day she felt wonderful as she walked down the street. She ed a perfume shop, and on an insane impulse bought a bottle of expensive perfume. She wondered she had never bought such thing in her life. She spent two hours bathing and dressing, and when she was finished she studied herself critically in the mirror. Then she defiantly combed out her hair and tied it back with a red ribbon. And when she closed the door she left behind a faint fragrance of lavender in her room. That day an hour in her company had been like a gift, Sunny had least expected. After office hours they went to a hotel in Colaba. They just looked resigned. Like the inevitable had finally happened, and they had been expecting this moment from the start. Like they had known for sure it was coming all along. Neither one of them spoke. Neither of them had any idea what they were eating, and there was a different, more demanding hunger in them and it kept mounting and mounting, until neither of them could stand it any longer. In the middle of their dinner, Sunny put his hand over her hand and said huskily. 'Sandra, let's get out of here.' She looked down at him and smiled, and their hands knit together. They walked out of hotel, each lost in thought for a little while. Sandra waited in the busy crowded road, while Sunny brought his motor cycle. They went to a lonely place overlooking sea. They both sat in silence, looking each other, and then without saying a word, Sunny leaned towards her and gently took her face in his hands and kissed her hurriedly. Her heart leaped as he kissed her again. 'Did I say you could?' She said angrily.

'What!' 'Did I say you could kiss me?' she asked again gripping him from his collar. 'Sorry, I was carried away, and he kissed her again for a long time. She closed her eyes and felt her lips melt into his, and she felt as though her insides trembled. Now it was so unhurried, so soft, so gentle. She was almost dizzy when he stopped and she clung to him for a long moment. Her head rested neatly just below his chin, where she could feel his breath lightly blowing her hair and ticking her head. Then she looked at him and let her fingers touch his face, and then his lips and he kissed the tips of her fingers. 'I love you, Sandra,' he said. He loved her so much, and he wanted her to know how serious he was about her. 'I mean it Sandra. Will you marry me? If you do, I will love you until the end of time.' She smiled when he said. He was so earnest and now she knew that he was the one for her. And he had finally convinced her that it was destiny that they'd met. They were perfect couple for each other, they felt made for each other. 'Yes,' she said in a tiny voice, and then asked. 'Hey Sunny, did I ever tell you that I love you earlier?' she asked. 'No.' 'Why didn't you ask me?' 'Okay, you tell me now.' 'No.' 'Why?' 'I'll tell you after marriage.' And she got up and straitens herself. And without saying anything more he pulled her close to him and held her for a long time. In the night he took her to his home. Suddenly Sandra felt Sunny trying to undress her, and she was finding it hard to resist. It was his roughness and his

gentleness, and it was laughter and ion. Their hunger had built to greed that had to be satisfied. They kissed again and again, and each time was an ecstasy that was almost unbearable. Hours later, as they lay there quietly, Sunny said. 'I feel as though I'm alive for the first time in my life.' Sandra gently stroked his chest and laughed around. 'What's so funny,' he asked. 'Do you know what I told myself? That, I would never involve with you like this.' He knew what she was thinking. 'Well, we will marry soon Sandra, I promise.' Sandra looked down at her watch. It was half past ten. 'I really must be going,' she said. In night on reaching her guest house Sandra was unable to anything about the evening, but she knew that everything about that evening and night were to stay with her the rest of her life. It was magic, multicolored explosion in slow motion.

At one weekend they went to Elephanta Caves in a boat and wandered around until five in evening and on return they walked up to Colaba market and went Leopold Café. The café had an attack of terrorist during 2008, and it was extensively damaged during attack. Gunmen sprayed the restaurant with bullets and there were blood stains on the floor and shoes left by fleeing customers. Sunny asked for a cocktail 'Risky Whisky' and Sandra a glass of beer. Afterwards they walked arm in arm at sea shore. They just wanted to be together, and they walked for hours, talking of their past, their lives, their work and themselves. Then they return ready to isolate themselves in his comfortable little home. They lay on the bed and watched television and made love.

It as though each couldn't get enough of the other and at ten o' clock Sandy regretfully went to Sandra's guest house to drop her. Time moved too quickly. It seemed minutes later when they had to say goodbye for the day and they clung to each other at the gate for final moments. 'I'm going to miss you so much,' she said. He looked at her, and sensed that she had changed the course of his whole life.

They were together almost every evening. The place Sunny living was little crowded and not suitable for their evenings. One day Sunny said, 'We are taking a day off to find a better place to live.' They went for apartment hunting together. On Sunday and late that afternoon Sunny signed a lease in a high rise building in way to Sandra's guest house. The apartment was cozy, elegant and simple. It was beautifully furnished. She nodded in silent approval as they entered in new home. He could not wait to see the expression on Sandra's face. 'How do you like it?' asked Sunny. 'Like it? It is lovely apartment, I love it' Sandra exclaimed. The apartment was done in tones of blue, with tasted furniture. In the center of the bed room stood a big size bed. They had very few things, but what they had was good. He took her in his arms and Sandra snuggled against him. They would meet at the apartment in the evening after work and discuss day's events. They had dinner at a seafood restaurant around the corner from the apartment. Sometime Sandra cooks dinner while Sunny set the table. Afterward they read or watch television. Sandra prepared Sunny's favorite dishes.

Soon they shared money and purchased a car. On Sunday they went on a long drive, and then for shopping at a mall. They returned at their apartment, and then they lazed around, had dinner in their robes. Sandra filled with emotions that she had not existed in herself. She had never thought of her as being domestic, but she wanted to do everything for Sunny. She wanted to cook for him, to clean for

him, to lie out in his clothes in the morning, and to take care of him. She kept a set of clothes at his apartment, and she spent most nights with Sunny, till he drops her at her home in late night or in early morning. She would lie next to him, watching him fall asleep, and she would try to awake as long as possible, terrifying of losing a moment of their precious time together. Finally, when she couldn't keep her eyes open, no longer, she would snuggle in Sunny's arms and fall asleep, contended and safe. When she curled up in Sunny's arm, she was instantly in peace. She enjoyed walking around the apartment in Sunny's shirts, and in night she would wear his night dresses. If she was still in bed in the morning when he left for bath, Sandra would roll over to his side of the bed. She loved the warm smell of him in bed. They shared delicious tender moments, quite nights at home, and a kind of intimacy that Sandra had never known before. She realized now how lonely she had been for so long. In the beginning, Sandra had thought that the overwhelming physical attraction they had for each other would diminish in time, but instead it grew stronger with ing time. Sunny was so handsome, so intense, so thoughtful that meant a great deal to her. She felt surrounded and protected and alive, and they laughed most of the time. By the time a holiday or weekend came, they were excited to go away from Bombay to spend time together. She was crazy about Sunny, his look and the way he made love to her. Lovers lived in a special zone of world, where every sense was heightened, and the joy Sandra felt now with Sunny was worth any price she would have to pay later, and she knew it after assessing the situation going in their company.

5

Ancy frowned and followed Sandra with her gaze as she cut across the hall from her desk to pantry. She emerged a minute later with a cup of coffee, went straight to conference room and closed the door. It was rare to close the door like that. It was usually happened only when she had a visitor or was working intently on some problems. But that morning she had not had a single visitor, and she was not so far as Sunny could judge working. Something was wrong. Sunny couldn't put his finger on what was wrong. It was a small office where all staffs were close. He was most of time was on out-duty. He knew Sandra didn't like Ancy, and Ancy hated her. Sandra was self-sufficient and rarely spoke to her, unless it was very necessary. Ancy was out-spoken who never missed an opportunity to accuse Sandra even on trivial matters. She was cunning enough to shift blame of her mistakes on Sandra. Through all these storms, Sandra had been rock that nothing seemed capable of shifting. Soon the main door of office opened and a lawyer came in and met Ancy for few minutes and then left. Sandra got up, took a file from her desk, and handed it to Ancy. Sunny hesitated a moment, wondering whether to leave office. Then he made up his mind and, uninvited sat down next to Sandra. 'OK, what's going on?' 'I don't know, but one thing is for sure, I'm about to resign. I haven't been able to tell MD. He's been so tied in his own mess that there hasn't been the right opportunity, and I can't tell the others before I tell him. Right now I just feel, like shit.' 'So you're telling me instead. Why are you reg?' 'I'm looking for another job.' 'Why?'

'Well, this isn't the way I had planned to end my time in this company, especially in middle of chaos. But offer came like a bolt from the blue, I can't say no. I mean, it's the chance of life time. I got the offer at such a time when there's such turmoil here. And now I have world's worst guilty conscience,' she said and then fell silent and stared at Sunny. She looked on the verge of tears. 'Sandra, you've been working like a demon, and it just didn't ever seem like the right time or place ..........,' he said and realized the terrible clarity how empty it was going to seem without her. No matter what happened, or whatever problem arose, Sandra had been a boss in office, she could always rely on. But what was going to happen now? She had always been a crucial part of company. 'There are a few things I've to get straight. I'm perfectly aware that this is going to create difficulties in the office, I didn't want it to, but that's way things are,' Sandra said. Patricia was listening to them at distance, she knew Sandra was leaving; her appointment letter from a bank was delivered at her desk. She came closer and then said, 'Company is functioning because of you and Sunny. You are good balance for each other.' 'That's not the only reason. The real problem is with London office, and the way they are working there,' Sandra said sarcastically. 'We can't do anything for that,' said Nandu from behind. He was also overhearing them intently. 'Hello there?' interrupted Ancy coming out of conference room. Nobody was interested in talking with her. Patricia left for her desk and Sunny walked out of office for his calls of the day.

In the evening Sunny walked in office charged with energy, and from his expression Sandra knew that something had happened. 'I have some news for you.' Sunny told her. 'MD gave me a ring today. I'm being promoted as General Manager of the company. He was very appreciative and he wants me in London for three months. And it's wonderful!'

Sandra was not impressed. A woman's intuition is worth more than a man's best judgment. She gravely said, 'Sunny you are my best friend and I sincerely advise you to look for some other job.' There was something that was not wonderful tugging at the back of her mind. It was not something she didn't want to put into words soon to dishearten him. But sooner or later she was going to tell him all. 'What!' He asked surprisingly, and then said, 'MD wants to promote me as General Manager and you say I should find a new job!' 'That's nothing. I love you too much to hurt you, Sunny. But you should understand what business now they are doing in this company?' 'You better tell me,' demanded Sunny. 'Today Sally resigned.' 'Who is Sally?' 'She was office manager of London Office.' 'But why she left her job?' 'Three days back there was a police raid in London office and Mr. Brown was arrested. Now he is on bail, but is compelled to leave England to avoid prosecution,' she said worriedly and after a pause she again said, 'Can't you understand that all our business is illegal? Look Sunny I'm also leaving this company and sincerely tell you to find a better job, do anything, but go away from here.' 'I don't understand you,' he said panicky. 'Okay, listen one businessman have complaint to police about MD's illegal activities. Now police is investigating the matter. MD has escaped posing himself as a Consultant of the company, and shifting all blames on Mr. Brown, who is a poor gentleman, and being a director of company now involved with serious allegations of fraud and cheating.' She paused for some time and then said, 'Do you think Luca and Ancy are idiots? They both are cunning, they can easily become General Manager or even Directors of this company, but they will never do so. They would prefer to

promote you, and in case of any problem it will be you who will be in trouble.' 'How do you know all these?' 'Sally told me, and you know when I talked to Wendy, daughter of Mr. Brown, she was crying all the time, perhaps she will never see her father again.' Sandra tried to hold tears in her eyes and said, 'Today MD also phoned me, he wants me to visit one client Fairy Cosmetics and Perfumes with you. Do you know who the owner of that firm?' 'No.' 'It's Madam Ancy,' and she handed him a file marked Fairy Cosmetics and Perfumes in bold letters. Sandra went on talking, but Sunny was not listening to words. He was only hearing the music. He felt as though he was floating, soaring and dreaming. He was thinking about his trip to London and his promotion as General Manager. He was dreaming of a nice sea facing bungalow with many rooms. It was too much to absorb.

That night for the first time since Sandra had fallen in love with Sunny, had insomnia. She was awake until dawn battling the demons of night. One of her fears was that something would happen to Sunny when he was away from her, but she didn't tell Sunny of her fears. She knew Sunny was impulsive and he could do anything hastily.

Next day when Sunny walked in to the office after his presentation, Ancy was missing from office and Patricia informed that Luca had heated arguments with her over phone, and he called her bloody bitch. 'What was the motivation?' asked Sunny. 'I don't know. I think it was some money matter. Luca wanted her to pay fifty lac rupees immediately.'

Sandra listened to them patiently, and then said; 'I know Luca arranged bank loan for her on his personal guarantee, and bank now pressing him to repay her loan.' She paused for some time then said; 'MD has also opened several usance import LC of high value for her, and she imported many costly things from overseas suppliers and now she is not willing to pay on due date. Have you seen the file, I gave you yesterday?' 'No.' 'Now all responsibility of payment lies on our London office. MD has again cleverly shifted entire responsibility on Mr. Brown.' Sandra turned red as she spoke and worried and uneasy expressions become more marked on her face. 'MD trusted her, but she is too cunning, and why she will pay? She openly says he used her, dirty bitch,' she said. 'MD is a rich man, he can afford such losses.' said Sunny carelessly. 'No he will never do that, and why should he? LC was opened by the London Company and he was only a Consultant!' 'Doesn't he own the London Company?' 'Of course, yes.' and she surprisingly asked. 'Do you understand the difference between Owner and Consultant?' Sandra asked tersely, and then said, 'A consultant is a person who gives some professional advice to the company and is not responsible for any affair of the company. He plays safe, and such tricks save him from prosecutions or legal complications.' 'What can we do now?' asked Sunny. 'No, we can't do anything.' 'But MD wants us to go at Ancy's shop.' 'I don't want to go to her. I'm afraid of her,' Sandra said. She looked nervous and depressed.

'Why?' 'Somebody told me she practice Wicca!' 'What's that?' asked Sunny. 'Some sort of witchcraft or black magic, I don't know.' Sunny smiled and said, 'don't worry I will not let her make sparrow out of you, I promise.' Sandra was not amused. 'I would love to become a bird if she can. Then I would fly freely around the world,' she said with a dry smile on her face. The fear of unknown was too scary. 'Are you coming with me?' asked Sandra. 'Of course, yes.' Sunny said immediately. He smiled at his thought that he was even willingly to go to hell with her.

Next day was Sunday, and sharp at ten o'clock they reached at Ancy's shop cum residence. Sunny parked their car at a distance. It was a pretentious place wedged between town houses. In the window of shop were cluster of cosmetics and perfume bottles. Inside the shop were a couple of marble steps, which lead to a door of solid teakwood. 'You have been making quite acquaintance with Ancy. Have you ever been here to see her? She was interested to show you something,' asked Sandra teasingly. 'I've never seen a more stupid lady than her in my life,' said Sunny and touched the electric bell. The door was immediately open by a smart boy who looked at them smilingly as if he knew them very well, and politely said; 'Madam is within, and expecting you.' Then he ushered them into a quite looking waiting room soberly and handsomely furnished and left them closing the door. The room was quiet and dimly lit. A number of ladies designer dresses were hanging for display in rows. Sunny looked at pale face of Sandra and asked; 'What's the matter with you? Why are you so worried?'

After a while she said slowly, 'She puzzles me, she is a terrible woman,' and then the childlike expression faded from her face as she uttered the last words. 'Do you know where we are?' Sandra asked after a pause. 'We are sitting in a room of her shop.' 'How does she know we were coming?' again asked Sandra. 'I don't know, I think the boy is trained to greet everybody like that.' 'Oh yes, may be,' she said, and then she pushed back little in her sofa and with great difficulty recovered her face. She was looking both nervous and depressed. She tried to recover her composure. 'Let's go,' she said suddenly after a while. 'Why? Let's stay and watch,' insisted Sunny. 'Are you sure that we are not being heard?' she said. At that moment the boy came and took them in next room and they find themselves in the presence of Madam Ancy. 'This is great, Sunny you kept your word, but I was not expecting you will come with Sandra' she said and then looked at Sandra for the first time. 'You are beautiful and young. I don't think you need any cosmetics and complexion pills I usually give to peoples.' 'We are here to tell you that the last date of payment of your LC is day after tomorrow and you should deposit money in the company's bank immediately,' Sandra said suddenly. 'Oh, don't you worry about that, I will settle the matter with MD, why you worry?' she said coolly as if she was not interested in any further discussion on the subject. By now Sandra's internal warning system was screaming. The innocent expression had faded from her face. Her instincts told her that there was something terribly wrong, and she had a premonition that it centered, somehow on this woman. A series of wild, outrageous thoughts danced through her mind. 'Are you alright?' asked Sunny looking at Sandra's face.

'I'm leaving.' 'I'm with you Sandra,' said Sunny. Ancy opened her mouth to speak, but something stopped her to say anything. Sandra tried the handle of door. It was unlocked. Slowly she pushed the door open and came out of shop. Sunny watched her go and then moved after her, a little faster, aiming to close the gap. They walked in silence in the street for a while and then she said, 'She is disgusting. She promised me to deposit necessary money in bank well before the due date, and now she is refusing to do so, 'and she further saddened. 'But why are you so nervous?' asked Sunny. She made no answer, and they walked silently for some time, and then Sunny again asked, 'Why are you afraid of her?' 'She terrifies me, and she had cast a spell over me. She is a bitch, a clever bitch. Don't underestimate her for a second,' she said and pushed her way through the crowd. Sunny took fast steps to walk with her. After a while Sunny saw a restaurant and he asked her for a coffee, and she agreed. In the restaurant they sipped coffee silently and after finding her relaxed Sunny whispered, 'I didn't know that you are so sensitive.' 'Yes I am, and my mother once told me that I am intuitive too,' she said and then turned swiftly towards him and looked in his eyes. 'Do you trust me?' she asked. 'Yes, of course?' he replied looking straight in her eyes. 'To tell you the truth, we can't sort out any problem of MD, because he himself has chosen to lose. He is a married man, why he developed relation with this bitch,' she said angrily. 'It's their personal matter. Why should we bother?' 'No it is not their personal matter,' she almost cried. 'It affects entire organization,

and all who work there, and especially you.' 'Why? Me!' 'Yesterday I'm informed by company's lawyer that your name is included in the director list.' 'That's great!' he exclaimed. 'It's not great. Now you will be responsible for all affairs of company,' she said gravely, and after a pause she said. 'Are you mad? Don't you understand company's business?' 'Of course I do.' 'And I bet you don't. Do you know all London bank's LCs are bogus?' 'How do you know? They are issued from the prime banks of London, and they are transmitted through SWIFT, the proper banking system.' 'These are all noncommercial LCs. These are not meant to do any real business. These exporters get them to raise funds from bank, and then they never pay.' 'How do you know all these?' asked Sunny. 'Now, I know them very well. Luca has worked in a bank for some time and he knows how to manipulate things.' 'Do you think bank's people are fool? Do they part with money so easily?' 'Then Luca is more cunning, and he has developed good relations with few bank officials. Everything is done legally in connivance with them. It's a big racket.' 'These things happen, why you worry about them. There is police, and there is law to handle them.' 'I think you are either a fool or big stupid, don't you understand if anything goes wrong in the company who will be responsible? It will be you Mr. Director. Luca will escape posing himself a consultant like MD and nobody will come to your rescue. They are rich people, they can bribe police, and they can buy justice.

They can afford to pay large money. What can you do? Police would always find an easy victim and court wouldn't understand what an accommodation LC is. I've recently read that a number of banks have suffered huge losses due to these fraudulent LCs.' 'But, why these big London's banks do it?' 'Easy income, the basic purpose of letters of credit is to protect suppliers, and on the face banks irrevocably undertake to pay on behalf of buyers. But these LCs are issued without any security as there is no risk of payment. These are just pieces of papers, and that corrupt whole economic system.' 'I think you worried too much,' said Sunny gravely. 'Yes I'm worried about you Sunny,' and she pulled a pair of sunglasses from her purse and slipped them on, more to hide the tears than to shield her eyes from the light. After coffee Sunny took her hand as they crossed the road, and didn't let it go until they reached near the car. Sunny dropped her at her guest house, and on return he thought about all she said. He was happy knowing her deep concern for him, and he was completely captivated, charmed and fascinated with her matchless simplicity.

Next day when Sunny reached office, Ancy was not in office, and Sandra was in better mood. Sunny sat quietly on his desk and started reading his note book. He was frequently looking at her and she came to him and snatched his note book. 'Why you're staring at me? And what do you write in your note book?' 'Few quotes I noted during my college days.' 'Show me.' 'Okay,' he said approvingly. She turned few pages and read few lines.

'It's beautiful. Can I borrow it for some time?' 'Sure,' he said. Sandra took his note book to her seat and started reading with interest. Suddenly the main gate of office opened and a police inspector accompanied with two constables entered in. 'Who is manager here?' Inspector asked in a commanding voice. Sandra got up from her seat and politely introduced herself. Sunny ed her immediately. 'Are you Luca?' asked inspector looking at Sunny. 'No, he comes late, what's matter officer?' asked Sandra. 'We have a complaint in police station.' 'What complaint?' asked Sunny and he introduced himself. 'I'm marketing manager of the company.' 'Do you know SRN Exports?' asked inspector. 'Yes. I introduced them in the company.' 'How do you know them?' 'Well, I' marketing manager of the company and move in the market and introduce new business.' 'What is complaint?' interrupted Sandra. 'Have you opened these letters of credit for them?' asked inspector to Sunny, ignoring Sandra's question. 'Yes. These are opened by our London office,' replied Sunny. 'I want you and Luca to come to police station by two p.m. today,' said Inspector and left the office. Once the police team went, Nandu and Patricia ed them. All were shocked and wanted to know, what the matter was? Patricia was almost

trembling. 'I knew one day this will happen,' Sandra said worriedly. After some time Luca came and immediately enquired whether a police inspector came in to office. 'Yes, and he expect you and Sunny in his police station by two p.m.' said Sandra. 'What was his name?' 'I don't know,' Sandra said hurriedly. 'Inspector Deepak Patil was written on his uniform,' said Patricia. 'Don't worry about that. I will sort out matter in no time. I know these cops. They need some Vitamin-M, that's all,' he said carelessly waving his hands. Then he looked at Sunny and said, 'You don't need to go police station at all. Leave this matter to me. I know how to tackle these cops.' Sunny become relaxed on his assurance, but Sandra immediately phoned MD and narrated the incident. MD listened to them patiently without any comment.

'You chattering fool!' MD hissed to Luca on phone. 'You've already created enough problems for me, and now this type of cheating is beyond my tolerance. You jerk don't deserve any mercy from me.' 'I'm really sorry for whatever happened this time,' said Luca sheepishly. 'Well, you know pretty well how I stand here. I've just been served with three cases. From last week I'm in a toss-up position whether I will sink or swam, and now you have created this new problem for me. It's ridiculous. I've got only ten days. I'm afraid to think what will come at the end of that time.' 'Whatsoever,' Luca said pointedly. 'Look here, Sir. We are also in a pretty tight place here, and it will take your skill to get out of it. I'm in need of money,' asked Luca.

'I've already wasted enough money on you.' 'Without money it would not be possible to make compromise with exporter here.' 'Go to hell, and enjoy yourself, good luck from me. Now listen, and harden your heart, shift all blame on that young man and send him to prison.' 'What!' 'Ask that bloody advocate to get him as long a term as long as possible------say, ten years.' 'It is a fearful position for a man to be in,' said Luca. 'When the facts have begun to leak out, somebody had to suffer. And it won't be the first time that an innocent man has to suffer. Don't worry I will manage money for you.' 'It's all very well. I will see how I can tackle this police inspector,' said Luca nervously.

Next day Sunny received a call from inspector and he was furious and demanded why he didn't turn up in police station and asked him to reach police station immediately. Sandra tried to Luca, but his phone was switched off. Sunny went to police station. It doesn't seem to be really police station at all. Not the kind of place a member of the public would go to report missing car or a lost wallet. It was like an intelligence bunker entered through an anonymous door set among the row of government offices. Sunny was kept waiting outside for a long time on a bench, and when he was called; he was led to a kind of conference room, where he saw Luca already sitting with inspector sipping a cup of tea. 'Why did you tell me lie?' asked Inspector.

'What lie, Sir?' Sunny said surprisingly. 'That you are director of the company.' 'That's right. I'm recently promoted as one.' 'Do you know your company has issued three fake letters of credit to an exporter?' 'No, we don't do anything illegal in the office.' Inspector nodded sagely and turned back to Luca who was sipping his tea comfortably. 'Now I fully understand your business. Do you know how much loss SRN Exports have suffered? And you know who they are?' Sunny was astonished and looked at Luca. He was calmly sipping his tea. 'You can ask him officer,' Sunny said looking at Luca. 'All LC's are issued by our London office............' Luca nodded, half apologetic, half impatient. 'I've no idea. I'm just a consultant,' he said cunningly. 'Luca, you're making a mistake,' said Sunny. 'You're making an enemy out of me.' Police Inspector looked at the face of Sunny surprised with sudden change of in Sunny's mood. Luca shook his head, 'I don't agree. I'm not making a mistake, and I'm not making an enemy out of you. I'm just a consultant in the company, you know very well. You better help the police investigation and help yourself at the same time.' Sunny growled at Luca and then turned towards inspector and said, 'Okay, you may ask our London office about him,' said Sunny. 'Why should I ask your London office? Police department will not let me go to London for investigation,' he said and laughed. Luca ed him in his laughter. Now Sunny realized that he was trapped, and Luca had already given bribe to police inspector and had shifted all blames on him.

In the police station he was told to MD, and call him in Bombay immediately, and he was asked to report in police station whenever he would be called for investigation. Further he was warned not to leave city without police permission. When Sunny reached office, it was already dark and Sandra was waiting for him alone. 'I've been worried sick. Are you all right?' asked Sandra. 'Yes,' and he narrated her all that happened in police station, and they ed MD on phone and narrated the whole incident. MD listened to them and then said, 'There's nothing to worry about it, I'll appoint a senior advocate to handle the case, don't worry at all.'

Next day they tried to Luca on his phone, but his phone was again switched off. They ed MD who gave them an advocate's address and said; 'I've briefed him everything. Luca has cheated me, these LCs were accommodation LCs and Luca has sold them as export orders and collected a large commission from the clients without my knowledge. The exporter presuming it real export orders have purchased and got ready all stocks for export. He borrowed heavily from bank and other sources. All their stocks are lying in their go-downs ready for shipment.' 'If all their stock is lying with them how they have suffered loss?' asked Sunny. 'Because there is no buyer of their stock in overseas or local market, and they have to sell them at a throw away price. They also lost the heavy commission they've paid to Luca. Moreover now their bank and money lenders are pressing him hard for repayment of their loans. This exporter is brother of one local minister, and these people are creating pressure on police. But you don't worry, just go to advocate's office, and they will sort out matter in no time. To them it's their usual daily business.' They felt relaxed at assurance of MD, and as they were about to leave office Sunny looked Luca entering into the office. 'Luca,' growled Sunny, and he sprang from his seat and with a gesture of

desperation. Sunny reached near him and shouted, 'You bastard, I will kill you,' he screamed and kicked Luca in his stomach and punched him in the face. Then he jumped at Luca and hit his head against the wall. Sandra and others who were there looked at them amazed. They interposed and compelled Sunny to leave him, which he did uttering all the time to kill him. Luca started bleeding from his nose. Sandra pulled Sunny out of office, and angrily said, 'I never knew you are so short tempered.' Luca lay on the floor, his blood now seeping from his mouth. Sandra stood over there shocked and white faced. 'I will kill that bastard,' again shouted Sunny from outside, and people from nearby place started gathering around. Luca was still bleeding profusely. An ambulance was called that took him to a nearby hospital. In police station Luca with his notoriously mean tendency had blamed Sunny for everything. What he had failed to recognize the predominant instinct of Sunnywhat he was inclined to do under the stressed situation created by him.

Ancy after taking her sleeping pills was ready to sleep on her bed in the night, when she heard buzzer in her phone. 'Hello.' 'Hi, sweetie, I hope you're alone?' asked MD. 'Whom do you think would be with me at this time?' 'May be a new boyfriend, or seducing Sunny at the moment, I thought.' 'Trust me. Nobody is with me, and it's long time you thought of me honey,' said Ancy. 'Luca's a damned fool,' he said. 'He began to think he was cleverer than anyone else. The worst thing he could have done was to let his case go to police. That is

the trouble when you tell too many lies and think yourself very smart. Sooner or later you get caught. This idiot has created a new problem for me.' 'He must have made good money in the deal. You know he is greedy man with a donkey's head. I wonder why you're always so kind to him.' 'Do you think he can handle police questionings?' said MD without answering her question. 'I don't think so. He's an idiot and will break easily under pressure.' 'Listen, Luca have made Sunny a deadly enemy. Sunny is a vindictive man and Luca is a vulnerable target for us.' 'What do you say?' asked Ancy. 'Ask Ram Singh to read his last rites!' MD said with one of his acid smiles and dropped his phone.

6

In the office of advocate Sunny and Sandra were listened patiently, and were assured not to worry about anything. Advocate assured them that they will take care of situation as may arise in future. Further he advised Sunny not to go office for few days till the matter subsides. In evening they met Nandu at his home, and he informed that Luca was now alright and was released from hospital after treatment. At hospital doctor determined that no bone of his was broken, but eight stitches were sown in to cheek and on his head. Sunny realized that he had tried too hard to teach him lesson. Next three days ed without any incident. Luca filed his complaint in police station for the assault on him and submitted medical certificate and two witnesses of incident. Sunny kept his mobile off, and there was no call from police station in the office. Sandra and Nandu were attending office regularly, Patricia left job and there was no trace of Luca and Ancy. There was no business in the office. MD was appraised with the situation twice a day, and it was presumed that company's advocate was taking care of police and complaint filed by the exporter. Sunny and Sandra were now meeting at Nandu's home regularly in evening, and soon an understanding among them was made that Sunny should office from next week. It was Saturday night at around nine Sandra gets a call from Nandu that Luca died in a road accident. A fast moving vehicle had hit him while he was crossing road.

Sunny reached home late in night and in morning he was informed by a neighbor that a policeman came and was enquiring about him. Sunny worriedly called Sandra, and she told him to meet her at Nandu's home. When he reached there she filled him with accident of Luca and asked, 'Where were you yesterday?'

'I was in crossword shop at Andheri.' 'This is much unexpected turn of affairs. Luca died in an accident. Present circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution has to be taken to quench what might grow to be an immense scandal,' Nandu said worriedly. 'You are my best friends, and I swear, I've not killed him,' murmured Sunny setting himself down in a chair and closing his eyes, then he slowly opened his eyes and looked impatiently at Sandra. 'I know Sunny, you are telling the truth, but now question is how to prove your innocence,' she said nervously. 'I will tell the police everything. Accident has occurred near VT station, almost twenty kilometers away from me.' 'Whether police will believe you?' interrupted Nandu. 'You are already involved in a case of fraud, assault, threatening to Luca and now this accident.' 'But I didn't kill him.' 'Police is not going to believe you. Another thing according to Dun & Bradstreet report no such company exists in the name of buyer shown in LCs. All evidences are against you, and police will make a strong case against you, and will leave the matter in the court to decide', said Nandu. 'You don't understand Sunny,' Sandra said worriedly. 'Things are not that easy, as you think. Police will torture you, and they will compel you to confess murder. They will demand bribe from you, and even if you pay them, they will not spare you, and you can do nothing against them.' Sandra paused for a while and then again said, 'All court's decisions are made on evidences, and at present all evidences are against you.' She again paused and then asked. 'Do you have parking ticket of your car at the Mall?' He searched in his pocket and said, 'Yes it is.' He showed his parking ticket pointing his car number and date, and said, 'Isn't it will be sufficient proof of my innocence?' he said excitedly. 'May be, it will help,' she said.

Sunny suddenly ed and again said, 'I have another proof.' 'What's that? 'I purchased a book from crossword and my bill is still with me.' 'Where is bill?' 'It is in my home in the book. In book-shop I had a long chatting with one shop assistant during accident time. He could be my witness.' 'What's his name?' asked Sandra. 'I don't know, every time I go to shop he comes and tell me about some new arrival of books.' 'Of course these are useful to prove your presence in the mall at the time of accident, but we should also talk with one advocate about this,' said Sandra. 'Shouldn't we talk to MD, after all he is not our enemy,' suggested Nandu. 'Okay.' Sandra gave her consent and they narrated the entire incident to MD on phone. He again listened to them patiently, and then assured them not to worry, and he will talk to one senior advocate who deal with criminal cases to resolve the matter soon. After calling to MD Sunny felt relaxed, but neither Sandra nor Nandu were satisfied. 'I know MD well, he's a crook businessman and he will only look for his own interest. I know him better, he doesn't believe in any charity,' Nandu said gravely. 'We should meet our own advocate for his opinion,' said Sandra and then she rang to one advocate known to her father and fixed an appointment with him in the evening.

In advocate's office they narrated the entire incident, and after listening to them advocate said, 'I think hiding from police is no solution, rather it will be against you. As you said police came to your home in your absence, so you should go to

police station and tell them the truth. The evidences you talked about are also important, and we will produce them in court, if required. I think it is a simple case of accident. Bombay is a big city, everyday such hit and run incidents do happen on roads.' When they came out of advocate's office Sandra got a call from Ancy. She enquired about Sunny, and assured them to extent her best help as may be required. 'Now the big question is what to do next? I think we all should go to office tomorrow as usual. Why should I worry about anything when I've done no wrong?' said Sunny carelessly. 'Things are not as simple as you think. People from SRN Exports will not let thing go easily. Luca was real culprit, and he had naively shifted all blame onto you, and now you are the prime person of the company responsible for the case,' she said worriedly. 'But I just met these people for a while for a presentation, and entire case was handled by Luca. How can I be responsible for the crime done by him?' asked Sunny. 'Because our company has got the commission from them, and now you are the director of the company. Things are different now. Luca is dead, so free from all his charges. I also doubt whether MD will be of any help to us. He will try to save his own position, because he's himself guilty,' she said. 'But how can he open a LC without a real buyer as mentioned in it?' Nandu said. 'What! How a London bank opened those LCs without a real buyer?' asked Sunny. 'Our London office got it opened as an applicant.' 'That's ridiculous no bank can open an import LC without a genuine buyer.' 'Rules are different in those countries, and person like MD and Luca knows how to manipulate them.' 'How can bank's rules be different in other countries?'

'Let me explain,' interrupted Nandu. 'There is no exchange control regulation in these rich countries. I give you one hypothetical example, if you go to any Indian bank, and ask to open a LC in favor of an exporter in Cuba for export of sugar to a Russian port, or a LC for export of cement from Russian port to Cuba. Do you think they will consider your proposal?' 'No.' 'But it is possible with a London bank? Similarly there is no provision of opening any non-commercial or accommodation LC in any bank here.' 'But why do London bank open accommodation LCs?' Sunny cried. 'They want to earn lot of money without taking any risk, and or without financing a single penny. What is an accommodation LC after all? It's a piece of paper with bogus guarantee or commitment to pay seller.' 'Bloody hell, tell me, what's my fault, and what have I done wrong?' Sunny asked with grief. 'Was it a crime to go for a presentation to this exporter?' yelled Sunny. 'We know you are innocent, but still the big question is what to do now?' Sandra said with a deep concern in her eyes.

Next day as advised by advocate Sunny reached police station, and there he was kept waiting for almost three hours, and then he was asked several questions regarding working of company and his where about at the time of accident of Luca. 'Why did you hit Luca?' 'He irritated me.' 'So you killed him.' 'No, I didn't kill him,' said Sunny and took a breath to speak but Inspector shot out a lengthy arm, with his palm towards him and said.

'When your MD is coming in to Bombay?' 'I think he will come soon.' 'How soon?' 'I'm not sure. He told me, he will come soon.' 'What is your permanent address in Punjab?' Sunny gave them, and after that he was again kept waiting for a long time, and inspector prepared a long report and left. He felt hungry, but he didn't tell to anybody. In the evening when inspector came back, he informed that he is arresting him and tomorrow he will produce him before a judge,' and then said, 'You can make a call from this phone,' pointing a telephone on his table. Sunny nervously dialed the number of office, and it was immediately picked by Sandra. 'Where are you?' she asked hurriedly. 'In police station, police inspector just told me that he is arresting me.' Sandra listened to him in shock, and asked, 'But, Why?' 'I don't know.' 'Don't worry Sunny, I'm coming over there with an advocate,' she said bravely and reached there with her advocate in no time. She looked at Sunny, and fell back with her lips caught between her teeth and tears in her eyes. Still she looked almost defiantly at the police inspector as he entered in room. Police inspector was also not at ease because he knew and liked both these young people. 'I'm sorry,' Inspector said. 'I'm exceedingly sorry. But you must understand, that I've my duty to do, however repugnant it may be.' Sandra said nothing. She was beginning to realize that she had been on verge of

behaving badly. She walked away from him and looked out with eyes that saw nothing. After few moments she came near the inspector and asked, 'Let me understand,' she said. 'Are you arresting Sunny for the murder of Luca?' 'Well not precisely,' he explained. 'There is difference between an arrest and detaining a person on suspicion. Perhaps in the course in a day or two----------' 'But it's monstrous,' Sandra almost cried. 'Why should Sunny do this? He had no enmity with Luca. Sunny hit him because of those false allegations he made in your police station. Sunny was telling me all about that. He got the news of Luca's death from me, and he narrated everything to you, and he came in your police station his own. He acted very naturally, and I ask you if that were action of a man who is guilty of murder?' 'Of course it wasn't,' Inspector hastened to agree. 'Sunny has given us all assistance, but the fact that these two were on very bad . I've discussed the complete case with public prosecutor, and as per his advice he will be produced before a judge tomorrow.' Sandra knew police had distorted Sunny's reputation in an unprecedented way. He was an easy target for police. First inspector had received bribe from Luca, and then from MD. Sunny was threat to his business and his entire future and well being. In her anger, Sandra found her voice cracking as she said, 'You can't prove a single of those charges because they're not true. Sunny may be guilty of hitting Luca, and that's all he's guilty of.' She felt suddenly faint and she stood there a moment, staring at their unconcerned faces. There was nothing more she could do or say. Sunny saw her from a distance discussing with police inspector, then he saw her advocate handing a packet of currency notes to him. After a while advocate came near him and said, 'Don't worry, I've told them not to put you in lockup, and tomorrow I will get you released on bail.' Sandra was looking at him with eyes full of tears, and when his eyes meet her she smiled a little to assure him that she was with him.

The hours of the night dragged by endlessly, and neither Sunny nor Sandra could sleep for a moment.

Next day Sunny was charged for cheating, aggravated assault and murder. When he reached in the court, he saw Sandra discussing something earnestly with an advocate. In the court he walked between two policemen. 'Your case will be called next,' said one official of court. 'If you want to see a lawyer-----' 'I want to see nobody,' Sunny replied doggedly. 'When all powers of hell are allied against me, what does one paltry man could do for me?' 'Are you going to plead guilty?' 'No, I'm going to do anything of this sort, and I'm not going to waste the little money I've on lawyers.' 'I suppose you have got parents,' he suggested. 'Yes, I have,' Sunny said bitterly. 'But I'm not going to let them know of the disgrace that had befallen on me.' 'You're wanted,' he heard a curt voice from inside the court. He ed through the gate, and several pairs of eyes turned upon him. Those glances stung him like whip lashes, and they seemed to fall on his heart, and leave it bare and bleeding. In a dozed kind of way he stumbled into the prisoner's box, and stood there straight. He clutched the railing before him until the wood creaked, and his mind went wandering. He looked off vaguely in the court with clear and steady gaze, and an official of court read the long indictment with level monotony. He heard them saying that he conspired along with Luca to cheat SRN Exporters, and killed Luca over a dispute with him. A charge sheet was produced by public prosecutor with several charges including murder. And then he pleaded to hand over his custody to police for further interrogation. Sunny wondered how he would prove that he had been victim in the case. 'Do you plead guilty, or not guilty?' he heard them asking.

Sunny came to himself again, and glanced round the gloomy court, and then he looked straight into the face of the judge. 'Not guilty.' Sunny almost cried, and then he said no more. Sunny's advocate submitted his bail application but the production of medical report of Luca had almost proved the case for the prosecution. He was nodding, dazed, tired, and worn out, he wanted of sleep. Judge after listening arguments of both sides, ed order in favor of public prosecutor.

Sandra ed SRN exports people and they said Luca had ed them with lucrative business offers for display of their garments in a big mall in London. That would give them opportunities to come in direct big buyers. He charged ten percent for each export order, and then again charged ten percent for arranging letters of credit. 'We'd no doubt in what-so-ever he said, and we prepared our export consignments as per of LC. It was at the time of inspection we became suspicious when he brought a foreign looking man, who didn't understand English or local language rejected our whole consignment on some flimsy ground. There is other exporters also who are also cheated in similar way,' the man said. 'Why don't you tell the police the facts?' asked Sandra. 'What can police do? They can't judgment. They are supposed to put case in court only.' 'And courts are full of sick people!' she said angrily. 'Okay, tell me what Sunny's fault was? He was just an employee in the company.' 'We understand that, madam. But again the money was accepted by your company, and LC's were arranged by your company, and Sunny is the prime officer of the company.' Sandra's face was pasty white and when she barely made back to her home the tears that she had pent-up escaped.

In the police station, Sunny was herded to a room with others where a large portrait camera was set on a tripod. 'Stand over there against the wall,' said one official. Sunny obeyed. 'Lift your face.' Sunny stared at the camera. Click. 'Turn your head to the right.' Sunny obeyed. Click. 'Left.' Click. It was the worst pictures of him ever taken, but there was nothing that can be done about it. 'Over to the table.' The table had fingerprint equipment on it. Sunny's fingers were rolled across an inky paid, then pressed on a white card. 'Left hand.' 'Right hand.' 'Wipe your hands with that rag.' 'You are finished,' said the man behind the table.

Sunny felt as though all the life's land marks had faded from his life. 'Now I'm enlisted in criminal list,' he thought. He ed his mother. She was fiercely protective like a tigress and truly love d him. Before heading to the Bombay, she gave him her usual warnings about taking care of his health, eating properly. 'Yeah, yeah, yeah, I won't forget,' he had told her. 'What will she think about me,' and tears appeared in his eyes. 'How will she take it? And what will she do?' Questions bewildered him. Today he missed her terribly. Sunny had promised to bring her in Bombay, once he settled down. And it was always a thrill for him to show her the wonders of the city and met her with Sandra. Now that was a mere nightmare, and he swallowed hard to think about it. He got that sinking feeling. 'None of this is happening,' he thought. 'This is all a terrible dream. Oh' God please don't let anything be real. It's life worse than death. I can't take the torture! It's inhuman! Have mercy.' But everything was real, police station was real, his hand dyed in ink and photographs just taken, and he had a number in criminal list of police. He was further asked to give details and addresses of his relatives and friends, and when he innocently asked for the reason, he was told, 'It is just a police procedure.' 'Will you inform to all of them about my arrest?' Sunny asked innocently. 'No,' constable said amusingly. 'In case I escape, they will search me at these places,' he thought. 'No I will never go to any of them again. Probably I will go to some foreign country, may be Dubai, Canada or London. In case I go to London, surely I'll kill MD. He is real culprit, who started this business of cheating. But how I will get a port? How I will have a gun? And how will I get out of this mess?' were big questions in his mind.

In the police station he was locked in a cage like eight by eight cells. The April had arrived in Bombay with a wave of oppressive heat and humidity. In night when reality and imagination merge he woke up from a strange dream and he ed all that happened to him and all he lost.

He recalled Sandra's past kindness, how she had devoted all her powers to release him. A large debt of gratitude was owed to her. She had been a friend, companion, interested in all his concerns, and the one to whom he could speak every thought as it arises in his mind. A sense of delicious dreaminess overcame him. When he was again on the point of way to sleep he attempted to spring his feet but was horrified to discover that his muscles refused to his will. His first thought was, is this death! Have I indeed ed over forever into some other life! But he could not well believe this, as he could feel his heart pounding against his ribs, his breath was coming in quick short gasps, cold sweat stood out from every pore of his body. The hours of the night dragged endlessly. In the midnight he woke up from a horrible dream. In dream he was running in the forest, breathing wild dusty air carrying with it the faint smell of decay and smoke, and he was dancing like an insane and stretching his arms as if he was flying. Then he stands on the edge of a cliff, looking amazing scenery, and suddenly someone pushed him, and he fells crying his heart out. He woke up. His clothes were drenched in sweat. He wanted to scream, but his throat was so dry and sore he felt as though he'd swallowed a razor blade. It was nothing but a dream, but it was horribly realistic, so were the bars of his lock up. 'Oh' my God!' Sunny cried. 'I will go mad.' He paused, and overcame with the crushing burden of it all. He paced up and down the narrow cell, like a tiger in a cage, his chest heaving like that of a distressed runner. Whether he is a criminal? Or he is a victim of circumstances, the tool and scapegoat of rascals who walked unscathed in the broad light of day. One moment it seemed impossible that he could be arrested, yet another moment and damning evidence on which he had committed for trial caused him to tremble with something worse than fear. 'In the face of that evidence, who will believe my story?' he thought. He flung himself down at length, utterly worn and exhausted. Lying on the floor of his cell he tried to stand up, but could not, then he fought down a wild desire to beat himself against the bars, and then he prayed as usual before he slept again.

In the morning a policeman gave him a cup of tea. He could not touch it. His stomach was in knots. 'I must make a call,' Sunny said. 'It's very urgent.' 'Later,' the policeman told him.

In the morning Sandra along with an advocate came to police station and tried to meet him, but they were not allowed. People from SRN Exports visited police station and met him in the chamber of police station in-charge. After meeting Sunny and discussing the entire matter they realized that he was innocent, and had no hand in cheating them. One of partner even said, 'This young man in anger had hit Luca, who very well deserved it. We know that his superiors have framed him, and using him like a scapegoat. Luca was real culprit, now their MD should be arrested who runs the racket of frauds and cheat people. He must be called from London and should be rigorously punished, though we know he will never come to India to rescue this innocent man.'

After two weeks of solitude in police station and questioning he was again escorted before an elderly judge, who was sitting at a high platform, and his head and hands kept moving in small jerks. In front of him a public prosecutor a slight man in his fifties, with crinkly salt-and-pepper hair with cold black eyes appeared. Sunny was led to a seat and a moment later a court-man called out, 'State vs. Sunny a.k.a. Manjit Singh,' and Sunny found himself moving towards the judge. The judge was scanning a sheet of paper in front of him his head bobbling up and down. Now was Sunny's moment to explain to judge about what had happened. He pressed his hands together to keep them from trembling. 'Sir, I've done no crime,' said Sunny.

The public prosecutor interrupted. 'Your honor, I see no point in wasting the court's time. This innocent looking young-man is not an ordinary man. He is a director of the company, responsible for all its day-to-day affairs. He in connivance with deceased Luca a.k.a. Loknath cheated many exporters by giving them fictitious letters of credit, telling them as if they were export orders at very lucrative profit. You will be amazed to know that there were no real overseas buyers in these letters of credit. And when these exporters made ready the export consignment for dispatches these were rejected on the plea that these were not up to the specification of buyers. All their so called rejected stocks worth lacs of rupees are lying in their go-downs, and these exporters have suffered huge losses. Their bankers are behind them for recovery of their loans. Not only that this man had dispute with his partner over division of their loots, and he assaulted him, abused him, threatened him, and one day when he was crossing the road he killed him. It is not a case of accident, but a cold blooded murder of a man.' Sunny felt the color draining from his face. 'What-what-what----------are you talking about?' Sunny shook his head mutely. But none of this was making any sense. The public prosecutor again rapped out. 'We have witnesses; we have medical report, and police report of assault. For that reason, the state is requesting that this man be held for cheating, aggravated assault and murder of first degree.' Then Sunny's advocate submitted his bail application, and pleaded his innocence that police having no evidence of murder, and confirmed his status in the company as a marketing manager, and an employee only. 'My client is an ordinary employee of the company owned by a big businessman in London. Like any other employee his draw a nominal salary and lives in a rented apartment. He is not even authorized to draw his due salary or get a leave sanction without permission of the owner of his company, and he has never gone out of country. What to talk about getting letters of credit issued from foreign banks for millions of dollars!'

Advocate again said, 'My lord, my client is innocent man. Yes he in a fit of anger hit Luca which he humbly its in court, but he never killed Luca. All letters of credit issued by foreign banks were arranged by Luca in connivance with his managing director from London. I request the court to summon his managing director for further investigation, and my client be released on bail.' On the other hand public prosecutor demanded his remand custody till police submit his final report, and after listening arguments of both sides he was sent to prison and his bail application was rejected. Sandra sat back motionless on the bench. She felt the weight of everything she had heard like physical sensation, heavier than she could imagine so heavy it shocked every inch of her body. She stared blankly up and was drawn near tears when she saw Sunny. Her face was expressionless like a person who has received a stunning blow without warning, and who in the first moment of shock does not realize what has happened. She had no idea, what to do about it. The future had tailed off into an uncertain darkness now. For Sunny everything was happening in slow motion. He watched himself being led through the court, manacled to one of the policeman, while erby turned to stare at him. The steps heading up to the prison van were seemingly endless. 'But it was a road accident, he didn't kill Luca. They have to believe him. They have to,' he thought profoundly. He let his thought wander without conscious direction. But today it was though a thousand devils were conspiring against him, still the pride he had, that all accusations had failed to turn up a plausible explain he did something wrong. He was shoved to a black van with iron mesh separating the front seat from the rear. He huddled in the back seat, trying to become invisible, he was a murderer, and his companions in prison van were two murderers and a multiple rapist. While sitting in prison van he lifted his eyes in a corner to see outside, found Sandra sobbing burying her face into her handkerchief.

7

Prison's doors are inches thick and they carry imprints of human faces with pain, fear and death, all permanently engraved on them. The doors have a square opening at eye level, the guards stare through it. The inmates bear it all, looking down at the floor, studying nothing, if they want to survive. In the prison Sunny was forced to kneel down at entry, and after his registration he was shifted in a barrack like cell in queue. The cell was overcrowded and many were mad and visibly belonged in a mental institution. One prisoner even displayed his madness by walking; looking in the sky, and then bowed his face like a small boy. Sunny looked around unable to shake the oppression of fear of extreme nervousness as though the prison's architect had managed to craft these elements into the bones of the place. He took a deep breath signaling his heart to calm down. Most of other prisoners in his cell were on remand custody which is far more oppressive than convict prisoners, as convicted prisoners with ing of time make compromise with circumstances and surroundings but inmates with uncertainty find it hard to customize themselves in new harsh atmosphere. In the prison cell a stony faced guard with brown dyed hair was addressing the new arrival; 'Some of you going to be here for a long time. There's only one way you're going to make it, and that is by forgetting all about outside world. You can do your time the easy way or the hard way, as you like. We have rules here, and you will follow those rules. We'll tell you when to get up, when to work, when to eat, and when to go to the toilet. You break any of our rules, and you'll wish you were dead.' He continued, 'We like to keep things peaceful here, and we know how to handle trouble-makers.' Sunny soon found himself being herded with the others down a long corridor. They were marched to a large supply room where they were issued with one plate and a mug, and two blankets. In night he tried to sleep, but could not. Soon his name was called, and asked to kneel in a queue with other new inmates. They

were called by warden of cell. 'What are your charges?' Warden asked in a loud and commanding voice. He was short, fierce, dark haired with beady eyes. 'I don't know,' Sunny tried to avoid answer. 'Innocent?' said warden with a smile on his face, and he again asked, 'Do you know, I'm the warden of this cell? And do you know that you must do exactly as I say?' 'But I'm not a criminal,' said Sunny standing straight before him not realizing what consequences he would face in coming days for this type of outrage in prison. 'Look at it,' he said with a sneer. 'Look at it, he is not a criminal! Come here,' he growled as Sunny remained stationary. 'Did you hear me Mr. Innocent?' Sunny shuddered, but made no reply, and one elderly man came near him for his rescue and tried to reconcile the situation, and he grabbed the hand of Sunny and politely said; 'You are guilty, so you are here. You should it your crime. If the court has sent you here, that's enough proof of your guilt,' and he took Sunny away from the scene. 'Everybody who came here calls himself innocent,' a voice came from behind, but Sunny didn't turn to look at him. The person who saved him from the quarrel asked his name, and offered him to put his things next to him. He seemed to be a man of virtue, and seemed to be in prison from a long time, and he said; 'Allah is great. Have faith in him. God bless you.' Sunny looked at him for the first time, and tried to say something, but couldn't. But the message of his gratitude was well conveyed, and well acknowledged.

Unlike those in the cell, Sunny sat alone, seeing no one in there, to solve the

greatest mystery of his life. He had never felt such fury in his life, his eyes losing their focus, his pulse rate, respiration, blood pressure all bottoming out. He had gripped his head as if to prevent his bursting brain from cleaving through the bones of his skull, and exploding into soaked air. The function of his body was oddly abandoning him. He had no power to see that any semblance of justice was done on his behalf, yet he let out a contended sigh and look around him. In the noon, he sat in a corner after walking for some time, completely absorbed in his thought thinking about Sandra. He was soon called by the warden and deputed him for a duty hard physical work along with two other inmates of his cell. Sunny had no experience of such manual job, and he was soon exhausted, and when he tried to refuse he was bitten to blue by three convicted prisoners. He had no proper food from last many days, and he had lost lot of weight and vigor during police custody. By the time two o' clock in noon, and sun was pouring fire down on the earth, the sweat dried on his body and saliva evaporated from his mouth. Despite the heat he felt shivering inside him, a trembling that he could not control. There were lines of weariness etched into his cheeks, and when he closed his eyes, and turns his head to avoid staring into the sun, one prisoner suddenly catch his wrist, pulling his arm behind him and start forcing it upward. Sunny screamed with pain as the pain ran through him. He screamed again as the prisoner applied more pressure. He began to grow dizzy and felt himself beginning to fall. Then there was a blow against the side of his head and he fell to the ground. He lay there too weak to move, lying in the dirt. He heard a voice of someone from a distance it was cold and empty of feeling. Then he heard a muttered curse, then a dull thud. He raised his head and looked up. The blood streamed down the side of his face. His face was already crimson, and his lips were firmly pressed together. A prisoner walked past carrying a bucket of water. He dashed the water into the face of Sunny, and he shook his head to free the water from his eyes. Already his body was turning red under the scorching rays. His mouth opened and he began to grasp for air. He heard footsteps behind him. Sunny took a deep breath, and spat on the ground. Quickly the man stepped forward and brutally punched over Sunny's eyelid. 'Not yet,' he said in an unsatisfied voice. 'He will not die so

easily. Call me when he revives.' Sunny watched him walk up on the porch and then disappear. 'Does your shoulder still hurt?' whispered a man who was with him in his cell. 'No' Sunny answered, though it did. 'But only a little bit.' 'The sun will be gone in a few hours. 'What will they do to us?' asked one of his companions.

In the evening Sunny was told to meet a senior warden of prison, and when he reached his office he met a tall man, lean with high cheek bone, rugged, with pale sickly skin, a beer belly, no hair, knotty fingers, and smoker's caustically cracked lungs driven to number fifty for forty years. He was sitting behind a large cramped desk that seen a lot of wear and tear over the years, and in his office none of other furniture or decoration was changed in last twenty years. He was studying some papers in front of him. He buzzed a secretary who was a convicted prisoner. 'Send him in.' He opened the door, and Sunny stepped inside. Warden looked up at Sunny standing before him, dressed in the drab clothes, his face bruised. He was particularly interested in this prisoner because he had studied his record. He wanted to help Sunny, but he could not buck the system. And he was himself a part of the system. 'Please have a seat. It's nice of you to come, take a seat here,' he said politely. Sunny took a chair. He was surprised with his behavior. He was glad to sit down. His knees were weak. 'I see you're going to be with us along time.' It took a moment for his words to sink in mind of Sunny, and then he said, 'something is dreadfully wrong, sir. Please listen to me, I'm innocent, and I don't belong here.' How many times had warden heard that? Perhaps a hundred or thousand time!

'I'm innocent.' He said, 'The court had found you guilty, so you are here. The best advice I can give you to try to do easy time. Once you accept the of prison, it will be a lot easier for you.' Then he smile and with an easy voice said, 'Listen dear, I've been in this prison from last fifteen years, and I've given nothing but good service. This beating was a joke sprung on you with no notice, and I've already made my angry noise about it.' He paused a little and again said; 'I've number of good friends who write to praise me for my services once they are released from this prison. You could also be one, if you agree to part thirty thousand rupees for the prison. You know it's a big chain, right from here to superintendent, and up to ministers. You should appreciate that I've paid over five lacs for this prized posting. And in return I assure you of your comfortable stay till you get released. You will also have access to library and yoga classes.' He pushed his mobile phone near him. 'And if you have any special problem,' he said. 'I mean, if I can help you, in any way, I want you to come and see me.' Even as he spoke, he knew how hollow his words were. Sunny took his phone, and called Nandu asked him for a loan of thirty thousand rupees which he immediately agreed, and Sunny become a 'Man of Warden' in the prison with privileges unthinkable by others. Sunny realized the value of that money for the first time. Thereafter they didn't torture him, but the threat was always there, hovering over him like executioner's ax. Money that was what they wanted, but Sunny was not convinced.

Sunny pushed back his resentment and contradictory emotions to move with time. In prison Sunny soon become friendly with other inmates, he listen their stories and suffering of other inmates and thought, he was not the only person in the world, who has a hard time. Everyone has got their own problems, and he had his own. He was soon distracted by a laugh in one corner, and he looked three prisoners

were busy in some light talk and enjoying it. How do people become accustomed to life even in the hell? He asked himself but found no answer. He started visiting library and attended yoga classes. He observed many petty but useful tricks from other inmates, like how they hide drugs wrapped in plastic beneath the earth in open ground, sharpen a spoon's handle to use it as small knife, and brought rolled currency notes hidden inside the tooth paste to buy drugs in prison.

After a month, or so in the morning a prison guard entered his cell and called, 'Sunny.' 'Yes,' replied Sunny. He was surprised at how odd his voice sounded. 'By the order of court, you are forthwith being transferred to another prison. Let's move within fifteen minutes,' said a guard. Soon he was outside in a courtyard. A black prison van with barred windows stood there, its engine idling. Over a dozen prisoners already were seated in the bus, watched over by two armed guards. Sunny looked at the faces of his fellow engers. One was defiant, and another bored; others wore expression of despair, as their lives they had lived were about to come to an end. They were outcasts, headed for other cages where they would be again locked up like animals. Sunny wondered what crimes they had committed, and whether any of them was as innocent as he was. The ride on the prison bus was interminable, the bus hot and smelly, but Sunny was unaware of it. He was withdrawn into himself, no longer conscious of the other engers or of the scene of outside the van ed through. He was in another time, in another place. He was with his mother, the day he got appointment letter for his first job in Bombay. She was very happy, and the pride on her face was beautiful and shining. 'I'm going to Bombay, Mom, I've a job in a London Company,' he had told her proudly. One of his friends had told him. 'You'll love Bombay; it is full of all kind of cultural things. It has sea, big malls, film stars, beautiful heroines and models!'

'Oye, I'm talking to you. Are you deaf? Let's go,' cried a guard. Sunny looked up and he was in the prison van. It had stopped in an enclosure surrounded by a gloomy pile of masonry. 'Get out,' the guard said harshly, and he was marched down a corridor, through two sets of heavily barred door, manned by guards. As Sunny was itted through the second door, he was almost knocked down by a prisoner. He had a flat pockmarked face, with yellow eyes. He grabbed Sunny's arm to steady him. 'Hey!' the prisoner said to the guard. 'We have a new chicken. How about you put him in with me?' 'Sorry, he's already been assigned to cell number seven.' The giant stroked Sunny's face. Sunny jerked away, and he laughed. 'It's okay, we have plenty of time. You aren't going anywhere.'

Inside prison nothing was guaranteed except misery, he was sure now, that he could not get his freedom through the court system. He has to obtain it another way. For now all he could do was get his strength, wait, watch and hope. There were over sixty under trials in the cell number seven. Faces peered out as Sunny marched down the long smelly corridor, and the expressions varied from indifference to hatred. He was walking under water in some strange unknown land, in an alien space in a slowly unfolding dream. His throat was raw from the screaming inside his trapped body. The luxury of his last prison was over now. Now there was nothing. Nothing except the mind-numbing prospect of being caged in his cell till his case come to surface. Sunny thought again, 'Whether it's possible to prove himself really innocent? The court will decide on circumstantial evidences, and whether MD will ever come to his rescue? Why will he come in India? He is already involved in many cases in London. Perhaps it will be easy and most convenient for him to leave this case as it is.'

In the morning, the clanging of bell was loud and insistent. Sunny opened his eyes. Cell door was slamming open.

'Hey! Parade time,' an inmate announced. Sunny's body was tense and cramped. He lay back on his bunk. Inmates were lining up in the corridor outside. As a guard ed the cell, he saw Sunny lying on his bunk. 'What the hell's going on there?' He stepped inside the cell. 'You get up,' and he grabbed Sunny's elbows and pulled him to a sitting position and announced, 'You got a visitor.' Sunny looked at him in surprise. 'A visitor for me, who it could be?' and he suddenly knew it was Sandra. He followed the guard down the corridor to the visitor's room, and he saw Nandu waiting for him. He looked around, but couldn't find Sandra anywhere. 'She wanted to come with me, but I told her not to do so. 'It's alright, tell her I will come soon to meet her,' said Sunny and tried to smile, then asked, 'How's she?' 'She is fine. She has abandoned her job in the company. Now she is looking for another job.' 'Convey good luck to her.' 'Sure.' 'What are you doing now?' 'I ed another company in Andheri. Now the situation is changed. MD is spending heavily on advocate's fees. He doesn't care about the money he's spending. It's all about ruining you Sunny,' said Nandu grimly. 'What?' Sunny asked in astonishment. 'Yes it's true. He wants to shift all blame on you,' said Nandu. 'But why he is against me? I have done no wrong to him; even during interrogation I never blame him.' 'He wants to save his own position, and now he is collecting and manipulating

proofs with the help of Ancy to prove that all frauds were done by Luca in connivance with you, and he had no information what was going wrong in his office in India.' Emotionally scattered he returned to his cell, and lay down on floor he thought about Sandra. Stunned and upset he wondered if the shadow hanging over him will affect her decision about him in future. He had lost control of his life, and he was wrestling with emotional turmoil. He is not supposed to love her, and he had to live his life without wishing Sandra with him. Nobody would like to marry a criminal. But he couldn't help it, and he can't stop thinking her, and can't stop loving her. As a brilliant young man he never imagined that he will ever be swamped with such problems which make him land in prison. 'What would you do if destiny twisted the road you took? What if fate threw you to a place you don't want to go? Would you surrender or would you fight with your fate?' Under extreme pressure and desperate to get released he mastermind a strategy to revolt system and escape from the prison. Now he had learnt a lot in the prison.

'Sixty-two...sixty-three.................seventy.' Sunny's chest touched the floor and then he rose for the last pushup. Both his triceps trembled with maximum effort. He stretched out; sucking in air as sweat looped down his forehead, then started his stomach crunches. One hundred, two hundred, and soon he lost count. And next came leg lifts; his ridges were screaming after five minutes and still kept going driving through the pain. Sunny stood and started running around the open space outside his cell. Once, twice, ten times, twenty times, with each lap he increased his speed until his shirt and pent were socked through to his skin. He felt good and it also sucked because he couldn't run away. He moved around trying to forget where he was right now. He closed his eyes and tried to think of escape. Soon his thought drifted. 'You think you're going to escape, don't you? You're an inmate with a number, that's who you are, cell block seven. That's who you are. Nothing more in this prison was guaranteed, except misery.'

A few minutes later he walked through the lunch line and received the basic food. He swallowed enough of it to keep from ing out from hunger. Two weeks had already ed since he arrived in this prison. Life had cruelly and coldly snatched that which meant the most to him and he must now fight to get it all back. In the night Sunny was awake, and it must have been 3:00 a.m. he thought, as he had no clock, watch or radio, with which he could judge the time. He watched just black painted walls and many prisoners. He had each happening in his mind's eye, as it was like yesterday. He had then only to sit and think of what he had lost. He had no idea what his future hold. Time moved slowly, and it was terrible when self confidence erodes. 'But what's to be done, now? What's to be done?' He asked himself in despair and found no answer. There was no solution which life gives to all these complex and insoluble questions. Hope is very cheap, and there's always plenty of it about, but you have to be practical, you can't create anything out of nothing. Perhaps the only answer is one must move ahead forgetting the past. Absorbed in his thought, he suddenly realized it was morning and everybody was going for morning parade.

Another day standing in queue his name was called, and asked him to report at superintendent's office immediately. He had expected no visitors, but when he reached there he saw Ancy and superintendent were discussing something earnestly with a man. The sight of Ancy drew his blood from his face; his internal warning system started screaming. His instinct told him that there was something terribly wrong and he had a premonition that everything centered, somehow, on this woman. A series of wild outrageous thoughts came dancing through his brain. Luca was perhaps murdered, didn't die in an accident. Ancy was standing at the far end, looking at him. She was dressed in a full length black dress. She had wide sunglasses. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, debating whether to quietly withdraw and go back to his cell. Then deeply shaken he headed towards her. 'What next?' he thought and tried to remain calm.

Looking Sunny coming, Ancy got up from her seat to welcome him, and she hugged him as if some close relative or old friend had met unexpectedly after a long time. 'I wanted to talk to you, Sunny, just you and me.' 'How, would you even know I was here?' asked Sunny. 'I know a lot far more than most people think. That's why I wanted to talk to you.' He eyed her warily and then looked around. His expression turned stubborn. 'I don't see that we got anything to talk about. You already had put me in jail.' She ignored this, and again drew even closer, and took off her glasses. Her eyes were red and puffy. 'So why are you here? Dirty bitch----------' he said and slapped his thigh in frustration. 'MD will pay you whatever you want,' she persisted and drew right in front of him, one of her hand seizing his shirt in a very firm grip. She suddenly slapped him across the face, stunning him into silence. 'He would have killed any men, who dare to stand before him,' she said. Then she introduced the other man as public prosecutor now dealing his case. After making some informal comments, that he had lost quite weight and she missed him to see for a long time, came to the core of her visit in prison. 'Sunny we all know you are innocent, and Luca died in a road accident. We also know you've done no cheating with SRN Exports and with my company. It's unfortunate you are dragged in these cases by police. Now we have compromised with exporter, and our MD has agreed to compensate them for the loss caused by Luca.' She paused and then again said; 'After your arrest the office is closed, there is no income, and now these court expenses and matter of compensation has made a substantial loss to us.'

'What do you want me to do?' Sunny asked plainly. 'We want when you tomorrow go to court, plead guilty of your charges,' she said, and now the look on her face was terrified. 'And all charges of MD could be dropped. Isn't it?' said Sunny. 'We will get you released in no time. In six months you'll be eligible for parole,' she said hurriedly. 'Let me tell you the facts of life, Sunny. MD is a rich and powerful man. It is only thing you could do at the moment.' Sunny looked at her amazed. 'Believe me, I can help you,' she said still keeping the grip of his shirt. 'If I go to trial?' asked Sunny. 'I don't want you to put in front of a judge, because believe me, it will be his judge. But I'm pretty sure he can make a deal for you. It's not strictly ethical, but I'm going to speak to him privately. But if you go for trial and even if you came out on bail........' she paused for a moment and said. 'I know MD and his people, Sunny, don't think I don't. They'll find you. You'll never forget their visit.' She let go his shirt. 'I'll give a little time to think about it, but not too much.' This was all said in such calm and chilling tone that Sunny could hear every one of his heart beats smacking in his ears. He nodded mechanically as Ancy was telling him. He stood there, his chest heaving and watched her. In his life he had been in fights with some very large man intent to bodily harm him, and he had been scared during those incidents. However that was nothing compared with the terror he was feeling right now, for he had no doubt the crazy woman meant every word she had just said. Ancy didn't think an answer from him was necessary. She put her glasses back on and turned to left. Sunny for the first time realized MD was much more evil man than he ever thought. By this time he was beyond emotions of all kind, nothing would have surprised him. He smiled and walked out of office door without saying a word, his face was burning. 'I can't let them do this to me. My pride is all I'm left with and no one is going to take that away from me,' he thought.

After a while Sunny turned back and looked at Ancy and said, 'Stop wasting your time on me.' The voice came with such a bark that Ancy and public prosecutor both jumped. 'Now I know why you deserve your reputation. You bloody bitch...........,' he said. 'Don't dare to meet me again, or I'll wring your neck.' Ancy laughed aloud. Somebody for the first time had challenged her, and she knew he meant what he had said to her.

As Sunny retuned back to his cell he ed a guard in the corridor. The guard laughed loudly at him; probably he had heard him shouting at Ancy. 'What'd your lawyers want? Don't they're coming up with another defense for you? Is that it? Don't waste money on them.' And he drew closer to Sunny. 'You still see some hope to get escape with money you looted from people? I hope you do,' his tone was openly taunting. Sunny didn't flinch. His lips remained in a straight line, his eyes looking past him. He said nothing, and stood there patiently as the guard looked him up and down. 'Go back to your cell; you'll straight go to hell from this prison.' Sunny moved away without looking at him. In the night when other inmates were sleeping, Sunny thought; these people think they can manipulate law at their convenience, and think all prisoners are fool, but the fact is this whole system is sick. The law in most cases is either the pre-engaged servant of long purse or can be sold for few coins of gold. The world suffers a lot not because of bad people, but because of corrupt working systems of government. He cursed them, and looked around and then he saw an inmate writing something on a paper. 'Do you have any idea how to break out of here? Can it be done?' Sunny asked. He was silent for a long time, and then he said, 'There have been three busts in last year. One prisoner was shot and killed. The other two were caught and brought back.' Sunny made no comments.

'The towers are manned twenty four hours by guards with guns, and they're well trained in their job. If anyone escapes, it costs the guards their jobs, so they would just as soon kill you as they look at you. There's barbed wire all around the prison, and there is army camp a kilometer away. It discourages anyone else with plans,' the man said. 'But people still try,' Sunny said stubbornly. 'The one who broke out had help from the outside-friends, had money, and getaway cars waiting for him.' He paused for some time and said, 'and still they get caught.' 'But they won't catch me,' Sunny swore, and he forged an master escape plan and promised himself that there was nothing to fear, but fear itself. And then there was an excitement within him, the exhilaration of embarking on a new life.

In the night Sunny in a dream like state saw Ancy in bed with MD. He could see every feature of them clearly. He watched mute, and then he seized with a blind overpowering rage snatched up a steel letter opener type knife and run over to the bed and knocked Ancy aside and plunged the knife into the MD's chest again and again, until the wall were covered with blood everywhere. Ancy was screaming, 'Oh, God, no!' Stop it. Sunny! I love him.' Sunny turned to her and said, 'now I understand your game,' and he hit MD's again. She moaned, 'Oh, God. No! Please no. You've killed him.' She stared at him in disbelief, and then suddenly she flung herself at Sunny and her nail caught his cheeks and ripped deep gashes down the side. Sunny swung and hit her hand across her face. She fell to her knees, clutching her hand in agony. Sunny stood staring at her for a long time. This was how he wanted to her in rest of his life. When he woke up it all flooded back into his mind, and he went berserk.

Next morning Sunny dressed in his best what was possible in prison, and looked fresh. It was important day; he was to be produced before a judge. At the exit gate of prison he stood in queue normally with other inmates to board a police van, but soon complained severe pain in his stomach. A sentry took him to dispensary of prison where he lied in bed for an hour, and ensured the prison van had left for the court. He went to superintendent office and insisted to produce him in the court, as it was an important hearing of his case. His request was acceded, and two sentries were deputed to take him to the court. In the prison there was an undeclared understanding, an understanding which comes after dealing with many criminals on day to day basis, that he was not guilty of his charges. Further he had a good record as non-confronting and easy prisoner. So authorities took the matter lightly, and not much care taken in procedural formalities and neither he was handcuffed. He was taken to nearby railway station and they boarded a local train. The train was crowded as usual, and he was standing in middle of two sentries near the exit gate, and one of his hands was gripped by a sentry. He soon assessed the physical strength of sentry, and as the train gathered its speed and reached the near the end of platform he took a deep breath, 'It's now or never,' he thought and snatched his hand and jump on platform. Another sentry followed him, but it was too late and train had crossed the platform, and he fell on ground badly injured. Train came to halt with a screech at a distance. Sunny tried not to run, afraid of attracting attention, get mixed in crowd and with easy steps crossed an overbridge. He stood normally, and boarded first incoming train and reached his home. Sandra was not at home. He knew where duplicate key was, kept hidden under foot-mate. In his home he changed his dress, collected his bank cards and pushed few clothes in a backpack, then said good bye to his sweet home. Outside he didn't bothered to look around, and being noon few people were present in street. He went to a public booth and rang to Nandu and asked to meet him in a café near his office. Sandra soon ed them. She was informed by Nandu. She was amazed and

astonished. 'How did you manage to escape?' she gasped. 'You know you are a fugitive now. What will you do now; it's not easy to escape police. I'm sure by now police must have sent alerts all around, and at all exits of city,' said Nandu worriedly. 'I don't care,' he said bitterly. 'What will you do now?' Sandra asked looking through tearful eyes. 'I don't know. I'm going away.' 'Going where?' She asked with a grin. 'I don't know; God helping me!' 'Better you stay in the city itself for few days to disguise police, and let your search become cold news. And Nandu gave him an address to hide. Sunny took the slip reluctantly and put in his pocket, surely he was not interested, and then Nandu offered him money, which he also refused. They sat in silence for a full minute, the air between them growing heavy as if they wanted to speak, and yet had nothing to say. They had reached a fork in the road, each of them now needing to find separate paths. 'Sunny never feel alone or isolated, we are your friends and with you always,' said Sandra and took out a notebook from her purse which she had taken from him earlier. 'Sunny your note book is beautiful,' she said. 'Sometimes if you feel low just read it, it will give you lot of strength.' Sunny took the note book and put it in his backpack and get ready to leave. Sandra extended her hand for a handshake and said, 'Be brave Sunny.' She had tears in her eyes, still she tried to smile. Sunny had never seen her more radiant, but he didn't intent for long good bye and left immediately without

looking back at her.

8

Separation with Sunny was like a death for Sandra and she wanted to die quietly. She looked at least ten year old in ten days, and felt a century older. She barely bothered to look in the mirror anymore in these days. She had not eaten all day, and she was so nervous that she was unable to force any food down her throat. She tried to relax, but it was impossible. She plunged herself into one or other work to remain busy. She needed to exhaust herself physically and mentally. She didn't want to have time to think. Alone in her darkened room, huddled in a chair, her knees pulled up to her chest, staring into nothingness. She wanted to do so much for release of Sunny, but now all that was finished. She dragged herself over to the bed and lay down and closed her eyes. Then she felt it. A wave of cold air moving towards her, surrounding her, and caressing her, and she heard his voice, calling her name. When she opened her eyes, Sunny's face was still there. Sandra thought of Sunny. He was gone and perhaps he would never be back. She would never see him, never argue with him, never fight with him, and never laugh with him. All that was left was a bundle of memories, but image of his face that had become more and more prominent each day. They had a plan; to stay together for the rest of their lives. They were best friends, and soul mates, destined to be together, she had always thought. But as it happened their destiny had changed its route. On the last day Sandra had seen the regret in his eyes, regret for the things he'd not committed. Sandra drifted from room to room sobbed salty tears. Her eyes were red and sore, and there seemed to be no end for awaiting him. None of the things provided her with any solace. Her best friend was gone and nobody understood her, and nothing was going to fill the hole in her heart. Each day she woke to find herself sprawled uncomfortably on bed thinking about him searching him in her thoughts. What was she expecting to find? Whether Sunny will forget her? He never

doubted that I loved him so much. She felt as though she was missing a vital organ from her body. She tried to some happy moments with Sunny. Tears once again rolled down her face. She realized she had been daydreaming again. The hours just seemed to her by these days without her knowing what time or even what day it was. She seemed to be living outside her body, numb to everything, and pain in her heart, in her bones, in her head. She shuffled in her silent home, dresses in suit Sunny had brought for her on birth day. She looked in mirror. Her suit was sagging due to her weight loss. She again felt tears down her face. 'I don't know what I'd do without Sunny,' she said to herself. With ing time Sandra tried to adjust her mind. She tried to get fresh and dressed comfortably in new dresses Sunny had brought for her. She made a face at her reflection in the mirror. She looked ugly, she had black circles under her eyes, her lips were chapped and chewed and her hairs were disaster. She tried to make up her face and tried to feel fresh. 'Perhaps make-up can make a great change,' she thought. Yet it does only on face, not on heart. It was two O' clock in the morning and whole city was deserted when she emerged into balcony. She stared at the sky. There was only soft night wind and stars above, where her fate had been written ambiguously.

Sandra lay on her bed, she had long since given up trying to get up, and she felt tired. She was drenched with sweat. It was airless and hot in the room. She had on a simple night gown that was bunching up beneath her. She moved her back and adjusted the cloth a couple of inches. But still there was a small fold on her back. She closed her eyes. She was not afraid, but at the same time she was troubled by unpleasant fantasies about where Sunny had gone. No matter how hard she concentrates on something else, to the time and distract her from the situation she was in, the fear came trickling out. It hovered like a cloud of gas around her, threatening to penetrate her pores and poison her. She knew that the most effective method of keeping the fear at bay was to fantasizing about something good will give her a feeling of strength. She

switched on the lamp at the bedside table. The room brightened. She got out of bed went to bathroom and began to dress. She forced herself to ignore the tingling pain in her forehead, and set out again. It didn't matter what time it was. Nothing mattered. She rubbed her hands across her face and forehead. Her hairs were drab and lifeless as she stuffed it under a rubber band. She stared into the mirror. Her eyes were heavily subdued. Her cheeks were drawn. She had no idea how late at night it was, but she sensed that it was too late. She marked off another day in her mind. In the home she searched the cupboard of Sunny for his night dress and found his mobile and a half whisky bottle. The mobile of Sunny was with her and she started looking at her photographs in it. The photo album was full of its capacity almost over thousand; perhaps there were lot more lost due to space shortage over there. She continued to stare at photos sadly while she walked over the bedroom. That had been the last photos Sunny clicked when they were happy and together. She saw herself in different poses walking, sleeping, boozing, looking at sky, drinking. Photos were in garden, on rocks, and with beautiful scene behind her, and photos in their home, in office, in restaurant, at sea shore, driving, smiling, laughing, and in boat while going to Elephanta caves. She smiled at looking them. She opened the bottle of whisky and started sipping it. Soon she felt dizzy. She held a shirt of Sunny to her face and the familiar smell immediately struck her, and an overwhelming grief took over. The apartment was quiet and she was alone. Sunny was gone, and perhaps he would never come back. Perhaps she would never run her fingers through his hairs, and perhaps she would never share a bed with him again, never laugh with him. All that was left was a bundle of sweet memories. She shakily steadied herself to her feet, and drifted in apartment while she sobbed fat salty tears. Her eyes were red and sore, and there seemed to be no end to this night. None of things in apartment provided her with any solace. She took a deep breath, dried her eyes and tried to make some sense into herself. She tried, but failed to hold back her tears and she started drinking wine with bottle itself. In the morning she awoke with her head pounding. Her mouth was dry and her vision was impaired. She leaned up on one elbow and tried to open her eyes which were somehow glued together. She squinted around the room. It was

bright, very bright, and the room seemed to be spinning. Something odd was going on. She aroused from bed and caught a sight of herself in the mirror ahead and startled herself. She ran out of energy and collapsed flat on her back. She thought she must go back to sleep, may be when she wake up the earth stop moving. In evening Sandra felt a lot fresher, but her reactions were still a little slower than usual. Her hangover seemed to be getting better, and she went for a long walk along the sea shore and crisp fresh breeze helped to clear her fuzzy head. 'From now on I'll become more sensible and will never drink again, not at least like this,' she promised to herself.

She lived quietly for three weeks without seeing any one. She went out on occasional shopping to same mall where she used to meet Sunny. She found herself thinking about Sunny constantly. She knew she was being ridiculous, yet she was unable to get him out of her mind. She looked in the mirror; her face was white with exhaustion, and she felt weak and dizzy. One day Nandu came to see her, and when he looked at her pale and strained face he brought a doctor to check on her. He was obviously worried about her. Sandra was startled when she saw the doctor with him. She didn't want to see any one and the doctor least of all. 'I've a virus or something,' she said. Doctor checked her pulse and took her temperature. When he had finished, Sandra asked, 'What do you think it is, Doctor?' 'It could be any one of a number of things. I can't say precisely at this moment what is wrong with you. You'll have to be patient until the laboratory reports comes to me.' 'When will that be?' she asked. 'Probably, tomorrow by the evening, in the meantime I would like you to stay in bed and rest.' And Doctor handed her a bottle of pills. 'These will relax you.'

'Thank you.' Sandra said. At night Sandra took two of pills Doctor had given her and a sleeping pill. She slept peacefully during the night. In the morning again she was feeling no better. At ten o' clock that morning she called doctor on phone. 'How are you feeling?' asked doctor. 'About the same,' she replied nervously. 'Are the results of the tests in?' 'It's a good news madam.' doctor said. 'You are in family way.' Sandra sat there numbly staring at doctor. When she found her voice again she asked. 'Are you sure doctor?' 'Yes, I take it this is your first baby.' 'Yes.' 'I would suggest you see a lady doctor as soon as possible.' 'I will,' Sandra replied. She was going to have Sunny's baby! The pregnancy had been unexpected, and when it happened, Sandra was filled with uncertainty. Could she raise a child without the help of his or her father, and would it be fair to the baby? She had never known that such pain could exist. She had to be alone, and she was alone. There was another human being inside her, a part of her, and a part of Sunny, and whether she was going to destroy it? It was a big question in her mind. She forced herself to think about where she could go for an abortion. Earlier an abortion would have meant some quack doctor in a dirty sleazy back-alley room, but now that was no longer necessary. She could go to a hospital and have the operation performed by a reputable surgeon. But it should be somewhere outside of Bombay, where nobody knew her. She needed anonymity, some place where no one would ask question. Sandra allowed herself to think of what the baby would have been like. 'It will look like Sunny,' she thought, and she began to weep so hard that it was difficult to breathe.

Nandu was the only person Sandra could trust to help her. 'I need an abortion,' said Sandra, and then, suddenly asked, 'Do you know a good doctor?' He tried to mask his surprise, but Sandra could see the variety of emotions that appeared across his face. 'Any other place but away from Bombay, someplace where they don't know me,' she said hurriedly. 'What about Mizoram?' Nandu said with anger in his voice. 'Ok, Sorry. I--------you caught me off guard.' The news had taken Nandu completely by surprise. He had lot of regards for Sandra. He knew she loved Sunny, and it was now torture to have his baby once he was gone. He ran his hand through his hair and said, 'OK. Fine I------' 'Yes!' He looked away from her, and said, 'No----------------, nothing.'

Next day Nandu handed Sandra a slip of paper. On it was written address of one lady doctor in one sub-urban of Bombay. 'Thank you.' 'When you are going to do it?' Nandu asked. 'I'll go down there this weekend.' 'Would you like me to go with you?' Nandu asked awkwardly. 'No thanks. I'll be fine.' 'What about the return journey?'

'I'll be alright.' He stood there a moment, hesitating. 'It's none of my business, but are you sure this is what you want to do?' 'Yes. I'm sure.' She had no choice. She wanted nothing more in the world than to have Sunny's baby, but she thought it would be insane to try to bring the baby up without her or his father.' She looked at Nandu and said again. 'I'm sure, thank you.'

9

From the café Sunny went straight to highway to leave his dream city he endured so much and once decided to live permanently with Sandra. It seemed so strange to be free again. 'It will be a strange journey, and it's a funny world. An hour before he was a prisoner, and now a gentleman!' he thought profoundly. He boarded the first bus leaving Bombay even without caring where it was going, which he realized only when he was asked for ticket. 'Last stop', he said hurriedly and paid the fare. He was completely absorbed in his thoughts. 'I'm fugitive now, and police will be searching me all over. Hell for them. Now it makes no difference to me even if they caught me. What can they do with me? Beat me, put me in an isolated cell, and court will extent my remand and then my punishment. What difference all these make when they have already declared me a criminal. They say that prisons are meant for the reform of criminals. All bull shit. In fact they create first class criminal like me!' Bus stopped after travelling over six hours and he picked up his backpack and left the bus. Outside few rickshaws were waiting, and calling engers for railway station. He took one and on reaching railway station boarded first train came at platform, and ensured it was not going back to Bombay. It was a slow enger train stopping almost at all stations. The coach was not much occupied. He climbed on one upper berth, put his backpack under his head and tried to sleep. It was not until the train pulled out of station that Sunny began to relax, but at every second he expected a heavy hand to grip his shoulder and a voice to say, 'You are under arrest.' He was free. He didn't quite believe it yet. It had all come too suddenly and too unexpectedly. Just that morning, the heavy steel door of his prison had opened, in which he had been lying on the rough blanket over a cement cot that constituted his bed, and instinctively he caught courage to escape. Dully he

wondered what they were going to do to him now. Trembling, he turned on his berth, and tried to keep his mind blank. Unexpectedly tears began to his eyes, and he tried to blink them away. 'Thank God,' he murmured. He carefully watched the other engers as they boarded into the train, and there was nothing alarming about them. Sunny's shoulders were knots of tension. He kept assuring himself that it was unlikely anything wrong would happen to him. And as the train rolled through the country side he replayed the morning scene in his mind. Asking in prison to go to court...........snatching his hand from guard ............jumping from running train..........mixing in crowd..........meeting Nandu and Sandra. In a curious way, the experience he had just gone through made Sunny feel like a different person. It was as though he was reborn. He thought of Sandra, and her pretty face telling him 'Be brave Sunny' reappeared in his mind. Now, lying in his berth Sunny allowed himself a smile of satisfaction. He had enjoyed outwitting the police. There was something wonderfully exhilarating about being on the edge of danger. Sunny felt daring and clever and invincible. He felt absolutely great.

After a while, there was knocking at his berth. Sunny hastily get up from sleep. Two men in uniform stood in the corridor. One appeared to be in his late thirties, the other one about five years younger. The older man had a thick head of black hair and was heavy-set. His eyes were cold brown. Sunny's mouth was suddenly dry, but he tried to force a smile and searched his railway ticket, and then showed them. 'Would you open your bag?' asked the elderly man, it was not a question but an order. Sunny opened the zip of his back pack. Then he looked at them and said, 'Only clothes in it.' Younger man searched his backpack and said, 'Okay,' and they both stepped outside the corridor. Sunny again tried to relax and sleep. He was soon absorbed in thoughts of

Sandra. 'Soon I'll settle myself in some new unknown place and then I'll come back in Bombay, marry her, and will take her along with me.' Sunny slept peacefully for long hours, and when he awaked from his sleep he left the train on reaching coming station.

Sunny travelled across the country by train. When he arrived at a new town, he would check into cheapest boarding house or slept on the platform bench waiting for next train to arrive. He stuffed cardboard in the soles of his shoes. The towns were expensive and feed was always bad; but it was the loneliness that ate into him. He had no one. He wrote to his mother from time to time, but it was out of sense of duty. He desperately needed someone who would understand him, share his dream with him. He knew he was going to be rich. He would marry Sandra soon, and they would live in a beautiful bungalow. In the mean time, he had to find a job. Then he would have a marketing company of his own, and he will involve only in legitimate business. He knew that one day he would be successful. He always tried to find a new place each night, and if lucky he might be able to locate a bed in a dormitory of a cheap lodge or railway station pretending waiting for his train. The railway platforms were promising, although there was possibility to get caught ticketless. Still it was a largesse place, and he wanted nothing to do with others. It was less than three weeks later in fiery hot summer; Sunny on his run arrives in a new town. He thought about the furors caused by his running away. He was in despair, lonely and beset by vision of brutally tortured. He was lying on a bench of railway station, and something in his backpack was digging in his cheek. Wincing he shifted on the bench. The solid block of cement at his back was cracked and rough. His neck was sore and kinked, his muscle cramped, and he needed to pee. It was still dark, and looking up he could see the stars in the open sky. He wanted to sleep a little longer, but couldn't. He aroused and then stretched, and he made few circles with his head, grimacing as the vertebrae in his neck rasped like the sound of crushing eggshells. He glanced round, it was a still and silent morning and few people were present on the platform. He tried to sleep again,

but could not. After some time he glanced once more, for he didn't like to leave his things unattended even for a moment on the platform. A moment's inattention could mean the difference of survival and annihilation. He didn't want to lose his backpack that was as important to him as a gun to a soldier. He ed his father once told him; in war soldiers are told never to lose their gun, which make the difference of life and death. The money left in his backpack was no less important than gun to a soldier. He grabbed his backpack, and after reliving himself rinsed his hands, and then splashed cold water into his eyes and face. Not exactly clean, but it helped to remove his sleep. Distastefully he ran his wet fingers through his hair. He needed a good wash, but first he would have to eat something. 'It would be another long day,' he supposed. From his backpack he removed his battered water bottle, and after slaking his thirst he capped the bottle, and considered his next move. He searched a half-eaten bun he'd kept in his backpack last night. While eating he wondered how long it would be before he settles down in a home and could earn some money. If he kept wandering at this rate by next three weeks it would be a real problem. After eating his bun he lifted his backpack and walked down from station, and then wandered through the streets of little town. In one street he looked a tea stall, and there he drank a cup of tea, and finally returned to same platform and lay upon the same bench and tried to sleep. After a while he was still awake he heard from a ing enger talking to other man, 'I think he is addicted to opium.' Sunny ignored the comment and closed his eyes pretending he was sleeping.

The days became nights and nights turned into days and Sunny had lost all tracks of time when he finally came down to a hilly town where the direction of his life was about to change. Disappointment had become a way of life. And the positive side of him vanished into thin air long before. Vaguely he thought it had been about two months he left Bombay, but he was not sure. He was dressed in a

wrinkled shirt and faded jean. He walked briskly in the middle of street, not visibly aiming for anything. He started to run the numbers in his head, and then stopped. He knew he'd spent almost his entire saving, and would have to find a job soon. The sun stood on the edge of horizon, and there was a faint breeze coming from the east and he shivered as cold chill crept into his clothes. He took a jacket from his backpack and put on. He was hungry. Across the road in front of a house he saw small fires around which a man rolled in a tattered blanket, and was sleeping. There was no moment coming from him, no sound, and he kept continued walking the road down the street only a few minutes when he saw a small cottage stood alone. The ramshackle structure rested on an acre of cleared flat land, but was surrounded on three sides of woods. Because of wetland and other development problems, the cottage had never had any neighbor. The nearest community was about three kilometers by gravel road, but less than half that distance if one had the backbone to challenge the dusty hill road. For much of the last twenty years the rustic cottage had been used on occasion by the wandering homeless looking for the comfort and relative safety of four walls and a roof. Rabbits, squirrels, rodents, and mosquitoes were plentiful in this still rural part of north India The ground floor of cottage was used as small restaurant. The visitors were mostly laborers. It was an old building and set back on the outskirt of town, established on a hilly prospect with unencumbered views, it was built perhaps sixty years ago of local stones. A girl who had been hotel's assistant was building a fire in the oven. She looked up as he came in, her face was flat and impressive, her hair was tied back from her face, but it was fast escaping. 'Are you going to cook now?' said Sunny. She narrowed her eyes measuring him, and then nodded without speaking, perhaps she never talked much. He went to the table and sat down. 'I want parotha and tea.' She nodded and reached up for a heavy black pan, and quickly placed the pan over the opening on the oven. She threw in one spoon of oil, and a moment later diced a parotha

to bake. She blinked her eyes and licked her lips. He watched her with approval. She was a good cook. She put the plate and a glass of tea in front of him without a word. He waited a few minutes for it to cool, then picked it up in his fingers and began to eat. The parotha was good, even if it was a little overcooked. He caught two more before his hunger was satisfied. It was just as well he ate so much then, perhaps for next two days he will not find such food. When he finished he got up and went over to the water tap and ran some water through his hands, then dried them on the towel that hung there, 'That was very good,' he said approvingly. At this time an old lady came, perhaps the owner of hotel, and Sunny asked for bill. 'Pema, what's the bill?' Pema was her name and she answered in a local language, and in a low voice which he couldn't understand. Sunny asked the lady, and paid the bill, and at the time of leaving he asked her. 'Is there any lodge here?' She looked at him and politely said, 'I've a room with attached bath, you can see it.' Sunny followed her. She took him to first floor; it was a small comfortable room, it had a bed, a table, a chair, a small mirror and a window. The building itself was old and ugly, but that didn't matter. It was convenient that was main thing. Rent was nominal, and it was further slashed when he told her that he will be staying for a long time, perhaps for two or three months. He brought in his backpack and locked the door from inside. The roof was made of baked clay. There was covered corner called bathroom, and water was to be fetched from ground floor through a rope. He had to hang a bucket down and Pema was supposed to fill it, before he pulls the rope for his bath. For toilet he had to go in jungle, which he hated most.

Sunny lay on bed for some time, then threw off the covers and padded barefoot to the window, twitched back the dirty tattered curtain. Sky had hazed over, as he opened and saw outside the window. He deeply breathed fresh air of hills. It was a good hide out. It was a place to go when there was nowhere else to turn, and when the law was hot on your neck and you were tired of sleeping night on the railway platforms and eating buns. It was not expensive, and was worth it. Twenty kilometers over the country's border and law would be difficult to reach you. The nearest town that was on highway to a hill station had few shops of bare necessity, and this hotel was little away from the highway, so economical. The town was surrounded by forests, and no large or small factory was near it. Although it was a good hiding place for him, but with ing time he was again condemned to exile. He tried to move in nearby towns for search of job, which had limited or no vacancy for person like him. Moreover even he didn't know how he could be useful for any job in this remote part of country.

Sunny was isolated and now he began to feel hopelessly naïve. He felt like a man walks alone on a deserted island to find that rest of the world has been stolen away in boats in the night. He felt like he was standing on a shore watching small receding shapes on the horizon. The world was changing, and he didn't want it to. And days ed quickly but there was no breakthrough in finding a job. Sunny's face was deeply tanned and his cheeks were thin and drawn. One morning when he woke, he found himself transformed into a parasite worm. All night he heard strange sound whispered around him, and he was sleeping with his eyes open. When he tried to lift his head a little he found his body stiffed and helplessly weak. It was not until it was getting dark that evening that Sunny awoke from his deep and coma like sleep. 'What happened to me?' he cursed his misfortune. Everything was not been going smoothly. Then he shook his head clear, forced himself to breathe regularly. He paced the room, hands shoved in his pockets. His room, although a too small, lay peacefully between its four familiar walls. A collection of his dirty clothes laid spread out all over. A picture that he had recently cut out from a

magazine was pasted on wall. It showed a gloom lady with flowing hairs, and the picture marked 'Wuthering Height.' He turned to look out of window at the dull weather. Drops of rain could be heard hitting window panes which made him feel quite sad. 'How about if I sleep little more and forget this world,' he thought but he was unable to do that. He felt mild dull pain in his legs, which he had never felt before. He tried hard; shut his eyes so that he wouldn't have to look the mess. 'Oh God,' he thought. 'What a strenuous life, waiting day in and out, doing nothing, and top of that there's the curse of false allegations, and worry of getting arrested anytime for no fault.'

Next day in the morning he pushed himself slowly up on his back toward headboard so that he could lift his head better; and saw lot of little spots on his legs which he didn't know what to make of. He tried to feel the place with one of his leg he drew it quickly back because as soon he touched it he was overcome by a cold shudder. He slid back into his former position. 'Getting up so early make you stupid,' then he ed his bus leaves at nine. And he looked at the alarm clock, it was half past eight and the hands of clock were quietly moving forward. 'Had the alarm not rung? It certainly must have rung. Yes, but was it possible to sleep through the noise of alarm? True I had not slept peacefully,' he thought. 'What should I do now? The next bus will go at half past nine; if I have to catch that I have to rush like mad, and even if I do catch the bus where should I go today in search of my job? But I must try hard, may be that would be best thing for me. Well there's still hope; once I've got lot of money, that's when I will make a big change. First of all I've got to get up for the next bus.' When he came out of his bed, he didn't felt fresh and lively. 'What if they ask for my qualification certificates, and my identity?' he shivered a little then thought of doing some manual labor. 'What a pity! For my education; all my credential are useless now. I can't mention them to anyone,' and he cursed himself.

At this moment a tap at the door interrupted his thought. 'Sunny, didn't you want to go somewhere? And he was shocked when he heard it. 'Was it Sandra's voice!' he could well recognize her voice, but he was unsure whether it was from the door or if from deep inside him. The words could be made out first, and then there was a painful echo which made it clear, leaving him unsure whether he had heard properly or not. 'Yes I'm getting up now,' he told himself. Now it was a simple matter of getting up and get ready to move, and despite all difficulty he was in, he could not suppress a smile on his face.

In the night Sunny reached in his room exhausted. There was no light when Sunny reached in his room. He reached for the lantern beside the door and put it on a table. He lifted the chimney and struck a match and held it to the wick. The wick spluttered a moment then burst into flame. He put the chimney back on and replaced the lamp on the shelf. He was strained and soaked with perspiration. He was worn out after the day's fruitless wandering and he collapsed in his bed without kicking off his shoes. He stared unblinking at the wall, wishing for nothing more complicated than a bath and something to eat before sleep. But he didn't have the energy to move. It was after ten, the end of a very long upsetting day. He cursed employers he visited during the day. These boss's men are spineless and have no understanding. Asking for any job is out of question. Nobody would like to appoint a person who served time in prison for manipulation, assault and murder, and moreover if he was now a fugitive. That would hardly fit in with any logic. 'I think it unlikely that anybody would hire me. I need to find employment more suitable to my circumstances. I wonder how convicted prisoner manage themselves once they are freed from prison,' he thought. He looked outside wind was rattling the window, and soon it started to rain. Sunny looked up at the sky and wondered whether God was crying for him. Then he looked at his room, and thought of organizing it little, but he was too tired to do that. He looked at himself in mirror, surprised that his face had been

branded by the hells of past months. A noise outside worried him, and he lay down on his bed, his hands clasped on his chest, and his tongue pressed his palate. 'I suppose I'm the loneliest person on the God's earth tonight,' he nearly wept, and started staring at only picture on the wall of room. He thought of Sandra, and he wanted to say her everything, but in the circumstances he contended himself by ing some happy moment he spent with her. He thought, 'Some persons are born with good luck; all they do or try to do come right, all that falls to them is so much gain and all their cards are trumps. But for me, it's all misery, misery and misery! My life is bitter and it's burning out of me. I'm a poor, miserable and abandoned. What's the use of my trying to do anything, trying to know anything, and trying to be anything? What's use of living? May be I'm haunted!'

He was wrestling with emotional turmoil. Stunned and upset he wasn't able to stop thinking about his past. More he digs into past, the more he was bombarded with obstacles, half-truth and dead ends that make filtering the facts nearly impossible. 'Why I went Bombay? ---------Why I ed the company of cheats? ----------I'm trying so hard, but more. ---------I thought I could start my life a fresh, could do any job well, ---------. I think I've got a devil in me and it desperately killing me. My heart is full of bitterness. I can't trust God. Why does he let things be so? Believing in God is easy for those who are sitting in their air-conditioned room and riding their luxury cars; let them be where I'm. I wish I could be good; but my heart burns, and can't reconcile anymore. There seems now, nothing more is left to suffer, and nothing more to live for. I wish I was dead!' He was in a state of physical exhaustions, and he was lonely, and he was disappointed. He was staring at the dingy little room wondering what he was doing her. He cursed his fate, enraged he got up and grabbed the lantern and slung it against the wall, plunging himself into darkness. He lumbered around the room, slamming into bed, falling down, getting back up and beating his fists against the wall, until they were numb. Finally, exhausted he slumped on the bed.

He suddenly screamed so loudly that he felt his heart would burst. Eventually, sweat break over his skin, his breathing grew regular and finally calmed. The day was again a setback, he had to it, and life was full of disappointment.

It was near eleven in the morning when Sunny aroused and sat up on the edge of his bed, his shirt was rumbled and creased, his hair disheveled, and he didn't had the strength to change before he sleeps. He closed his eyes and it was four o'clock in the evening when he awoke again. He looked at his watch in shock, and jumped off the bed, but he suddenly realized there was nowhere he had to go. He walked around the room, he saw a notebook on a desk across the room, and walked with stocking feet, looking down at wrinkled clothes he wore.

Sunny's separation with Sandra wasn't yet three months old, and in this solitary village he lived much alone. Sunny's money was running out fast. He would have to move to a cheaper room, but there were no cheaper room. He began to skip breakfast and lunch, and to have dinner at one of the little corner Dhaba where food was bad but the prices were good. Sunny hated the food, but it was filling. And in solitude he acquired a grave and contemplative turn of mind. He had heard that there was vice in the world, and he knew there was virtue in it. Deeply studious of his own mind, he concluded that all mankind were, like him were engaged in search of excellence; that success in this struggle was virtue and happiness, while failure included misery as well as guilt. His days had ed in secret discontent, and the narrowness of his finance made him feel the necessity of economy. He was at a loss to know what to do for a living. He took great care not to mention to anyone the story concerning his past life, and even at this day he was fearful of having anyone know his sufferings. Parting with Sandra was severest sorrow that he had ever known. After a confinement of many months, and lamented by separation of Sandra, with that sort of sorrow which is usually cost a man to part with an object which he love desperately, and when he know that he shall see her no more. A dreadful idea occurred to him that 'Sandra was gone forever,' and tears filled his eyes. He tried to recollect some casual proof of her love, but they fell fast as he ed

that for that love he could now make no return. Another day on a still morning when rustling of fallen leaves brought Sunny from sleep and he left his room to begin a solitary walk in the little town. He seemed to be fighting his way out of a fog. He had on a battered shirt and he hadn't shaved in several days. His eyes were harder and blacken. His composure was mournful, and his steps languid, for his health had suffered from long confinement and his spirit had exhausted. The gravel road was wounding its way between forest and farms. The sun hung just above the trees on his left, and as he rounded a curve, he ed on old house farm house, abandoned, but still standing. The hazy face of Sandra was still before in to his eyes. He blinked his eyes to clean them, but vision was still fuzzy. He followed the course of the road, choosing to run instead of walking along the edge of the high hemp fields. He continued running. He must have put a good mile between himself and his room. A little slower now, he needed to conserve his energy. And after another fiveminute run he even allowed to stop and catch his breath. It was as he saw Sandra standing there, her back to the hemp field. It seemed she had come from nowhere. A jagged bolt of lightning struck the earth nearby. Sunny gasped loudly, his body trembling, his face pale. He cried out and moved towards her. 'Oh, Sandra I love you.' He buried his face in his hands, weeping uncontrollably. It was just unfair to a good man like him who had never done an unkind thing in his life. The devil of his misfortune would have popped up from hell, bringing fire and brimstone with him. The rain started, downpour continued, growing heavier each time. A tepid, humid wind blew all over. Then he again saw a face, he knew what it was. Yes, it was Sandra's face. A curious mixture of emotions washed over him as he stood there, looking in the direction of her. He couldn't see her any more, but he could imagine. He thought he had become a paranoiac: a mind that was overstressed could only give birth to such delusions that seemed totally real. It was also conceivable the separation with Sandra could have been the catalyst that sent my mind over some emotional

precipice so that events became enormously magnified. People suffering from paranoia lived in a land where every day common things represented nameless terrors. He knew that a few hours from now, with the sun at its zenith, the heat would be great that he would not be able to travel much. He returned to proceed a lonely sideway; soon his moist eyes sparked with pleasure, the faded cheeks glowed with more than flush of health. Forgotten was languor, forgotten was sorrow, as he saw a glimpse of Sandra's face again before him. He looked up at her, squinting through the dusty haze. He rubbed his eyes vigorously, but when he stared back he was still before the Sandra. He knew it was creature of his own imagination, pure as his own heart, yet imioned as the widest dream of fiction, intensely susceptible of pleasure, and keenly alive in pain. He was captivated, and in vain he again rubbed his eyes, tried to warm them to life, he called wildly on her name in his highly colored picture of happy love. 'I will see her only once more and then tear myself from her forever, only once. Though try to forget her would be barbarous,' he said to his remonstrating conscience. 'I have to remind myself to breathe-almost to remind my heart to beat for you.' The thought to see her filled him with joy, and he felt such seducing tenderness he never had feel. He walked, unmindful of the feeling of his humiliations and disgraces. 'What should I do now?' was a question which he had every hour habitually asked himself, and this irresistible force of habit of many months, brought the same question to his mind. He instantly resolved to forget his sorrow, humiliation and depression; and to this resolution he determined that all his circumstances should bend now. 'Although I've temporarily driven away with depression that was threatening to engulf me, but now something tell me that I've still haven't re-conquered my kingdom. I still haven't reached a decision. I only know that a life without motive is life incomplete. I can't allow that happen to me. If necessary I'll spend rest of my life struggling to achieve. Sandra is still a fantasy, and my lust, but it is not necessary that fantasy and lust can't be transferred in reality. Right from now I will work twice as hard and twice as long hours in an effort to fight back for a better life, and to fight my fear that I wouldn't get her,' he promised to

himself.

The sun was beginning to fall from the sky behind hills, and it was almost dark, when Sunny reached in his room. He opened the door of his room and nudged the light on with his elbow. He rubbed his cheek, and looked into a small mirror. He had five-day beard. He sat on a chair near window and started gazing outside. Suddenly his hand touched his notebook lying on the table. He looked at it. The cover was now torn and the pages were stained. He had carried it roughly in his backpack. He rubbed the cover, dusting it off just a little. He ed Sandra saying; 'If some time you feel low, just read it, it will give you a lot of strength', and he opened it, and saw a quote on its first page. 'Seek, and ye shall find. Prayer is the power that pulls everything together successfully,' and he thought of his mother, she was staunch believer of God. 'That with God all things are possible, and the kingdom of God is within us and whatever we ask in our prayer, we ought to receive,' she had told him. 'But my heart is full of bitterness, I can't trust in God. Why does God let things be so? People say that when all things go wrong with us, we must believe that God is doing the very best. But why God give us tragedy to bring us closer to him?' He turned next page and started reading other quotes which he had written in best of his handwriting. 'Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.' 'Power is subjective, if you think you have, and then you have it.' 'Success is mind game.' 'Computers do not make mistakes, people do.' 'Procrastination is an addiction, identify your strength and plan milestones.'

'Hot heads and cold hearts never solved anything, and unless it is mad, ionate and extraordinary love, it is a waste of time.' He stopped reading further, and thought of Sandra. 'Doesn't he love her ionately?' he asked himself. Does she still love me? People say law of diminishing return not only applies to land, but to love-life also, where lovers with great expectation and become disheartened soon. He wondered what he would say and what he would do, if he ever saw Sandra again. He thought intently and then pulled out a pencil and a piece of paper. He again thought about what to write, and then how to write it. After several more moments of contemplation he began to etch out large black letters. He half way balled up the paper and threw it away. He did that twice more before setting on the final wording chewing down pen in the process.

My Dearest Sandra,

I Love You,

It's the middle of the night, and I'm writing to the only girl I will ever love. It's important for me to realize my love for you has no way diminished. Now I know why the separation hurt so much, because our souls are connected as they always have been, and will be. We have lived hundred lives before and in each of them we've found each other. And each time we're separated to say good bye to past, and to look forward for what will come next. When I think of you, I see your beauty and grace have grown stronger with every life we have lived. I only wish we'd be allowed to part as lover, and not separated as my fate had decided for us. Its fate and we can't fight it. If that's God will I would happily sacrifice the rest of my life to spend like this. But I wonder if a day will dawn when I do not reach out expecting to find you by my side, and if it will ever be possible to fall asleep without whispering your name. But I would love to tell you that everything will work out for us and I promise to

do all I can to make sure it does. And if we never meet again, and this is truly good-bye, I promise I will find you again in next life, maybe the world have changed, but not my love for you ever. I've resolved that I will never be satisfied with just the memory of your love, and I hope my fate will change one day. I hope that day will come soon when we can be ed together, but until then,

I will always be yours. Sunny

He sat back and read over it several times then he put the letter in an envelope, and addressed it to Sandra. He wondered for one terrifying second, if he had just made a huge blunder. Police can trace him, and even Sandra could be put in difficult position. He immediately tore the letter in pieces. Then he let the notebook randomly and read the words in front of him. Suddenly he felt something hard fell on his lap. He took it and saw it was a bank's ATM card with the name of Sandra. He first thought she must have forgotten after putting it in his note book, and now she must have got its replacement. But when he saw a neatly written in his notebook, he suddenly sparked with a new thought that it was kept intentionally, that on my run I would need money. He jumped up excitedly! 'Sandra we were good friends, close friends, and there was an understanding, that we were always together..........' Tears appeared in his eyes, and he was almost crying like a child. 'I don't know Sandra whether now you love me or not, but this concern for me is on loan, I will pay it with interest. I promise.' Sunny kept the bank card in his hand for long time, and again started thinking about how long was starting to make him earn money made him again nervous. He arose from his chair and lay on his bed, numb and immobile. He thought of earning lot of money.

The story of golden touch is a foolish legend, he thought. Good work will not make him a rich man; good work will only make him a good workman in life. He must definitely desire to succeed higher than the others, who are in for the same competition. He must let no feeble feeling of mercy prevent him from trying to do his best. In the game of success it is necessary to avoid mistakes of permitting your opponent to win. In any game where two are playing, if one doesn't win, the other will. Besides the rules of game, it's all a question either of talent or dishonesty, and one has to undertake either one or other. There are many definite methods, honest and dishonest which make people rich. One can't follow exactly in the footsteps of successful people, the precise opportunities that fell to others do not occur to everyone. Circumstances changes, but still in his circumstances one can get a fair chance of attaining rich.

Next day Sunny woke up with feelings that there was nothing he could do about finding a job in this little town. He blinked and his eyes immediately accustomed themselves to the half-light. He stirred restlessly, and even turnover, but he knew he will not be fully awake until the alarm on his side of the bed started a frail ringing. He pondered for a moment whether he could back to sleep again or should get up and find himself some breakfast. In the end he settled for just lying still, and day dreaming. He thought of Sandra, and wondered what she will be doing at the moment. God knows! Burr. Burr. Burr. That damned alarm. He wished he could have buried it. The voice would go on and on until at last Sunny decided to stir, and put a stop to its infernal ringing. Then he yawned, stretched and declared as he did every morning. 'Must hurry to go somewhere, or I'll lose opportunity.' It was all part of his life that made him feel secure in the belief that at last he would found something worthwhile. He managed to get his feet into the wrong slippers, before walking towards the bathroom and pushed back his hair where it had drifted down to his forehead. He emerged looking slightly better as he made his way back in his room. For a moment he lay there in the bed, and then he rolled over and got up and went to

window and looked out. The sun stood on the edge of the horizon, just climbing over the mountains. There was a faint breeze coming from the west and he shivered as the last remaining chill of the night crept in to his shirt. Across the road in front of the lodge he could see the faint smoke rising from the small fires around which some laborers, rolled in their dirty blankets, were sleeping. There was no movement coming from them, no sound. He changed his night dress and climbed in his shoes. He stumbled from his room into the kitchen. He was hungry. When he gets down Pema was throwing wood chips into the firebox. Should I ask you a question?' Pema asked. 'Yes.' 'How did you learn to read books?' 'In school and college, don't you go to school?' 'Girls don't go to school here.' 'Why?' 'I don't know. My grandmother says so.' She paused for some time then asked, 'Well if you studied in school and college, why don't you go to some big city and do a job?' He mumbled an answer that allowed him to avoid responding to her question. He was sure the girl would never understand. He went on telling stories about his travels, and every time her small eyes went wide with surprise. 'Why you remain so isolated and remorse in your closed room?' Pema asked suddenly. 'Perhaps my luck is not with me in these days.' 'Then why don't you go to old lady in next village, and ask for a reading?' 'What sort of reading she does?' he asked curiously.

'She spread some magic cards and tells about future.' Sunny ed Ancy and her invitation for the tarot session. Sunny noted the address of lady in his mind and started walking towards hill to meet the old lady.

The old woman was weak from some illness and she looked as frail as an eggshell, she must be over eighty years of age. She welcomed Sunny and took him to a room at the back of her house separated by a tattered curtain. The room's furnishings consisted of a round table covered with a green cloth, an image of strange deity and two chairs. The room had little light, and she lit a candle and sat down on one chair. Then she told Sunny to be seated as well before her. She prayed for a while and then showed Sunny a pack of long cards with strange photos on them, and said, 'These cards speak the language of God, and I can interpret them for you. Don't worry I'm not going to charge for this consultation.' She again folded her both hands and began quietly to pray, and after prayer she took pack of cards and shuffled them many times, and then flipped the cards. She spread ten cards on the table facing upward, and started giving her interpretations. Sunny started to listen to her intently. 'Your first card is ten of wands.' 'What does it mean?' asked Sunny. 'Don't ask, just listen to me. It signifies the question you have in your mind, and it is card of oppression, stress, and overburdened.' She looked at another card lying over the previous card, and said, 'It is crossed by card of justice.' 'I've suffered a lot from this justice,' said Sunny. 'Just listen to me,' she again said. 'It is card of justice of nature which is impartial and unbiased. It denotes fairness, balance, and harmony. Delay is not a denial in the court of God.'

'Your third card is eight of cups. It says you have walked away from a place knowing nothing could be done, and leaving behind something which is very important to you. The card denotes separation and sadness.' Then she took another card lying on table. 'It's seven of cups means your past success was imaginary, you were victim of frauds, tricks and manipulations. You are spending too much time with your imagination in the clouds and need to refocus your efforts.' 'Your fifth card is three of coins,' she said. 'It shows that improvement is underway, but still some delay is around it. You are at a gateway of one worship place. This card also hints that you can expect success fairly and quickly.' 'Your next card is of fool, who is walking blindly at his fate without looking at any warning sign along the way. In future don't trust anybody blindly. It is also a card of new beginning, fresh start and starting of a relationship.' 'Your seventh card which represents your personality and your attitude is page of coin. It says you are ambitious, but still need focus to succeed. You should look ahead and plan your future.' 'Next card is of your environment, and it is ace of sword. It is card of great force in love and hatred, excess of everything.' 'Your ninth card is about your hope and your fear. It is represented by knight of cups. It forecast an arrival of someone may be a friend or close relative, and who will bring you unexpected news and good luck.' 'Your last card represents the outcome of my reading, and it is four of wands. It foretells you a happy home, family, prosperity, good fortune and gaiety.' 'Are you sure one day I'll marry my dream girl,' Sunny asked excitedly. 'Of course you will. Your last card is for a happy home and good luck, I told you.' She said. 'But I'm not getting any breakthrough,' he asked disappointedly. 'Just look around, and you will find it soon.'

Finding Sunny still puzzled in his thought old lady asked him, 'Don't you believe me?' and she started writing names of his father, and his mother, and name of his college he attended, and she wrote the name of Sandra, and then he read things he had never told anyone. Sunny stood up and started to leave. She yelled after him, 'Don't you want to know what else is going to happen to you?' 'No! No, thanks, I know now,' he said. Later after reaching home he thought he should have stayed and listened to her, what was the rush. But he took the words of that future-teller to heart.

10

Sandra was in turmoil as she lay on the bed, her eyes closed, but she couldn't shut the vision of her baby. At this moment it was inside her body, comfortable and alive, protected against the world in her body. She wondered whether it would feel the pain when knife killed it. She thought of Sunny, she found she was beginning to breathe hard, and her body was covered with perspiration. 'I'll forget my baby like a sweet dream, and when Sunny will come he will never know it. I'll never tell anything about baby at all. But, will it not be a cheating with Sunny?' she thought. 'Do you want the child?' She asked herself, and that was where she got hang up. She was not sure, and she suddenly heard her own voice. 'I want my child.' She was so startled that she looked around, as though to see who had spoken these words, but she knew she had. She felt a thousand kilo weight lift off her heart and she smiled. She looked at her watch. It was time for lunch. She had to take care of baby if she were having it.........I want my child...........the words had been so strong and sure. Now the insomnia that had plagued Sandra for so long had vanished. Whatever night devils had tormented her had disappeared.

Diwali came and then New Year. Sandra had isolated herself. When Nandu asked, 'Have you thought this thing thoroughly?' 'I've no choice.' She said plainly. 'I'll be all right.' 'It's going to get rough, you know kids grow up soon and then they ask

questions. They'll want to know who their father is.' 'I'll handle that.' 'Okay.' His voice softened. 'If there's anything I can do------- anything------ I'll always be around,' Nandu said hesitantly. 'Thank you, Nandu. I------- thank you.'

Sandra decided to buy an apartment, somewhere in sub-urban of Bombay, where she and her child could live together in their own little world. She found an apartment by sheer accident. It was in a cozy place in outskirt of Bombay. One day she had been on her way to see doctor, and had turned off the road, then had taken a wrong turn and found her in a village of Bombay. The streets were quiet and shaded with tall, graceful trees, and small houses were set back from the road, each in its private domain. There was a 'For Sale' sign in front of a one house. The grounds were fenced in and there was a lovely iron gate in front of a sweeping driveway with lamp posts lighting the way. From outside it looked enchanting. Sandra note down the name of realtor and made an appointment to see the apartment the following day. The house had two bedrooms, one living room, and kitchen with a brick wall and little window that looked out into a small garden. The rooms were airy and spacious, but needed repair. There was a small play ground around. It had a pretty view of lake at a distance. Sandra thought it would be a wonderful place for her child to grow up in, with plenty of space to run around. There would be all the privacy here that they would need. Sandra was determined that this was going to be a world that belonged to her and her child. She bought the new apartment on following day.

Sandra had no idea how painful it would be to leave the apartment she and Sunny had shared. His clothes were still there, and his slippers and dressing kits. It was more than packing up a household. It was packing up a life. It was bidding farewell to dreams, memories and love. This had been their home and now it would become merely an apartment again, occupied by stranger with no

awareness of the joy and laughter that had happened within these walls. Apartment held hundreds of memories of Sunny, memories of a lovely dead past. Sandra packed her things as quickly as possible and got out of there. At the new home, Sandra kept herself busy from early morning until late at night, so that there would be no time to think about Sunny. She planted flowers in her little garden. She went into shops nearby to order furniture and drapes. She brought linens, and hired local workmen to come in and repair the faulty plumbing and leaky roof and worn out electrical equipment. From early morning until dusk the apartment was filled with painters, carpenters, electricians and wall paper hangers. Sandra was everywhere, supervising everything. She wore out herself out during the day, hoping she would be able to sleep at night. Sandra had a mobile, and it was there only for emergencies, and she gave no one her mobile number and expected no calls. The only person, who knew where she was Nandu, and she shut herself off from the world in every possible way. She stopped reading the newspapers and would not watch television. Her universe was here within those four walls. This was her nest, the place where she was going to bring Sunny's child into the world. She read every book she could get her hands on about raising children. Sandra converted one bedroom into nursery, and when Sandra finished decorating nursery, she filled it with toys. The workmen finished, and the home becomes quiet and serene. Everything inside the apartment was beginning to look beautiful. It was done in delicate flowered wallpaper and with a white marble floor. Walls had delicate paintings of small babies smiling. There was a big antique rack in the nursery covered with small beautiful toys of similar sizes. The home had good collection of wind chimes besides a good stereo system. Although it was a small home, but it was perfect for them. There wasn't an inch of unused space, but just for them. It was exactly the right size, as Sandra had known it would be when she'd first seen it and fallen in love with it the same day. Sandra once more looked at her home setting and then sank down in a couch with a contended sigh; it was perfect setting for her baby. Every week Sandra would drive into the village and shop at the big bazaar, and every two weeks she would visit the lady doctor, her obstetrician. Sandra obediently drank more milk than she wanted, took vitamins and ate the proper healthy food doctor advised. It

was as though she was reserving her energy, pouring it into the other body living inside her.

In the morning Sunny get up early and start walking aimlessly on the way. The sun had just come out. After some time he suddenly saw a man walking with him, his face was not much clear. The man asked Sunny. 'What happened?' Sunny's appearance must have made everything clear to him. Weary, depressed and beaten, he'd a haunted lonely look. 'I'm fine,' Sunny answered in a subdued voice. 'What are you doing in this small town? 'Looking for a job.' 'You appear to be educated. Come with me. Why don't you ashram?' he said. Sunny looked at him for the first time. He had a Zen like look and was tall and bony, with soft brown eyes. There was gentleness in his face, and a kindly expression in his keenly alert eyes. He walked with slow and measured tread. He appeared to be rich with happy disposition, and seemed to unite with some of the best blessings of existence. 'I'm Jitubhai,' he introduced himself and in the way he said, 'The ashram helps destitute. Recently one office staff had left the job, and a vacancy has occurred. The salary is not much, but it provides a small accommodation in the ashram itself.' And then he asked. 'How did you come to this town?' Sunny didn't answer at once. On reaching ashram Jitubhai talked with someone on phone then he confirmed his new job. Sunny showed his gratitude for his help which he needed desperately, and when Jitubhai started to leave him, he made a peculiar remark as he extended his hand for a hand shake in leave taking. 'One day I will tell you many things of which you have never dreamed, things so wonderful that you may not believe me.'

The ashram as it was known, plain and simple, was a place for the elderly sick people to come to die. Sunny tried to ignore the moans and cries as he strode down the corridor. He saw the feeble bodies, heads dripping low, limbs useless, encased in the wheelchairs, and stacked like shopping carts against the wall. Sunny soon discovered his new acquaintance was no ordinary man, but one profound and learned to a remarkable degree. He encouraged Jitubhai to talk, and soon gathered information that he was living in town from last seven years, and had ed the dozens years prior in Bombay. In the days that followed Sunny became well acquainted with him, and little by little Jitubhai told his story, so marvelous with his reason and belief. He always expressed himself with so much earnestness and sincerity that Sunny become enthralled by his strange narrations. He seemed endowed with super human strength, talking rapidly and rationally One day he told his story; He hails from Bombay and his father was producer and director of films. He began going to studio from the age of thirteen with his father and saw many actors and actresses rising and falling in life. 'I have seen people compromising with their moral just to get a chance in film. Is it just and reasonable? Morality should be highest and purest. It should develop brain and civilize heart,' he said. 'I was in my nineteenth year when my father produced a film and due to untimely death of one actress he suffered huge loss, and his health gradually deteriorated. He was partially paralyzed, and even unable to speak coherently. We had to sell our house to pay debts and all responsibility of family fell on me,' said Jitubhai. He paused for some time, and again said, 'I had to leave my graduation incomplete and started small business of supplies of household groceries on a bicycle, then selling credit cards and insurance policies as my business endeavors with little success. One day I met a person, and learnt delicacies of business. Like films all business are show business. If you have guts you can do wonders, the rewards are fabulous, and beyond imaginations. 'You have not to be very confident, but very - very confident of yourself in life,' he asked. 'Do you know how this confidence is achieved? It can be achieved by trusting God, and God always sent one for a specific thing. I believe worry is

useless thing in our life,' he said with a feeling of serenity and contentment. Sunny listened to him patiently then said, 'I've seen too many terrible things to have much faith in God. My problems came without my fault. There is one event of my life, the details of that is strongly graven on my mind that I can't forget it. Many months have ed, and still it rises as clearly before my mind as though it happened just yesterday. Nature has made a fool of me.' Jitubhai smiles and shook his head and said. 'Life can't be predicted. No life already lived can prepare you for your future life. You can't plan your life yourselves,' he said. 'Because, let me tell you. It's already planned for you by God. You must difficulties always strengthen a man. There are certain things about life, too many things that we simply can't change. Most of our life's stories have already been written. We don't always get what we want, what we hope for, what we're expecting. Sometimes not even close. Sometimes, the opposite.' Sunny nodded. 'With practice, we might control how we react to what happens to us, but even this is difficult. Here the only thing you could do; hold your fear in one hand and your commitment to act fearlessly in the other. Don't shake your fist at heaven; it will do no good. Truth is anything can happen to anyone at any time. There's virtue in loving one's fate. When you accept the world on its , you are living a brave life. Better to greet life with an unconditional yes,' he said gracefully. 'I can quite understand you're thinking so. Well, tell me about that?' he said. 'I've just got out of prison.' Sunny told him the truth. There was no point in hiding or lying. 'Why have you been in prison?' he asked. 'I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got mouse trapped. It's a long story,' said Sunny. 'I love long stories, and now I'm dying to hear it.' 'Ok,' said Sunny, and leaned forward and began talking. He told him all that happened to him, and then said, 'I swear that I'm innocent, my soul is free from

guilt. Sandra is my love, she is in my head, she is in my heart and she is in my soul, and I can't live without her.' After listening to story Jitubhai smiled and said, 'What everybody in the world most interested in, Sunny? Love- right? Love is a positive energy like com needle that persistently point to the north no matter which way you turn it, and it is with heart that one see rightly what is essentially invisible to the eyes. Don't think you're the first person to walk through the misery. Sometimes life makes a U turn and destiny pushes you back, at that point decide to overcome it with a daunting spirit. Things are made slowly and in pain, and if you accept the pain, it will not hurt you. Renew your commitments, and inspiration will come eventually. All things work together for the good to those who love God, and to those who are called according to his purpose.'

Jitubhai had a saint like personality that everyone in town anticipated his arrival with pleasure and welcome him with relief. He seldom disliked anybody in his life, perhaps disliking for him requires the expenditure of a good energy and hating people is the most strenuous work in the world; and this fact was one of the secrets of his life. He was connected in more ways than one with Sunny in his crises, and one day he said; 'this is not because you are coward and object, but over stained and irritable with past. The world is divided roughly into two classes; those who act without thinking, and those who think without acting. If you act without thinking you will doomed to work forever for others, to play some other man's game. If you do nothing and take pleasure or remorse in dreaming instead of creating something, you will never be a success.' Jitubhai paused for a while, and again said, 'There are circumstances that are just beyond us, it is how we choose to deal with them is important. Once we are in depression, we are at great risk of experiencing a downward spiral. In depression we start making poor decisions as our ability to think is compromised. The poor decisions lead to create stress.' And then he said, 'Often we have experiences which leave us with painful feeling long after it is over. And if that experience was inflicted on us by a person who is no longer present, then we suffer by nature of our thinking about

that event. We torture ourselves for no good reason, since the past cannot be changed. And if we are caught up in 'perhaps' thoughts, then we only prolong our suffering indefinitely.' 'Life is always generous to those who pursue their destiny. At a certain point in our lives we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. If you have dreams of your own, then you should that diamonds are made by nature under very high pressure for a long time. Don't think of today's failures as final, but of success that may come tomorrow. Yes you're a man, not a wall poster. You're supposed to make difference. The good time is easy to enjoy, but the real worth come from how you act during the bad time.'

With ing days Sunny becomes calm and unruffled. The habit of selfexamination made him reasonable and reasoning creature. His new job had given him temporary shelter, and time had thrown him into completely safe place and enabled him to identify himself. His job in ashram was simple- to maintain office records, issuance of basic necessities, medicines to inmates, and convey their grievances to trusties. He took great interest in working of ashram. Demand for necessities was much higher than funds available in the trust. All resources were dependent on donations received from various sources, and many times it was too meager even to meet their basic necessities. Peoples living there were mostly old and sick, suffering with incurable diseases. Some of inmates were getting some financial help from friends or relatives. In comparison to prison there was freedom, but life was no way less miserable in it, and everyday quarrel over little things was common affair. Another day, Sunny glanced through the window, something outside the window caught his eyes. A dead body was lying on raining ground, and people from a distance were looking at it! And he knew who he was. It was twenty years after he came in, and now his time on this earth was over. The lease he held on this land had expired. Now the process would be completed and he would return to his home from which he had come. Sunny walked slowly and came near him, and looked a faint expression of

surprise on man's face. He wondered about the surprise on the man's face, and felt perspiration damp and cool on his collar. There was no one near him. Others were clung to the routines of living. He heard a creaking sound behind him, and he turned towards the sound. It was an open hand driven cart drawn by an old labor in faded khaki work clothes soiled from sweat and dust of the day. His eyes were dull enough, and his body was burnt a coppery black by blazing sun that hung overhead. His beefy and ruddy face was burned to crisp in the sun. The cart creaked to a stop, and the labor came forward and muttered something in soft local language, then he pulled a small ladder made of pieces of termite ridden wood nailed together. He placed it on ground and spat into the dust of his feet. He cursed at the dead body and asked for help to put it on his cart, and a man from ashram came to his help and they slammed the body on his cart. It was just another job of the day for the labor, and for others a routine of life. There were others waiting for his departure and occupying the allotted space of dead man in the ashram. In the crowd Sunny heard the soft murmur as men discussed. 'Wasn't there anyone, family or friends for his last rites?' 'What will they do with his body now?' 'Whether it will go to the fire?' 'What if there is no family or friend the dead body is allowed to--------fire?' 'I don't know.' 'The labor is disappointed,' said one. 'There was nothing, but a few utensil and torn clothes in his dwelling.' 'He expects fifty rupees for his work. It is custom.' Sunny reached into his pocket and held out a hundred rupee note, and labor's broken teeth flashed in his dirty face and he touched the note at his forehead and muttered some blessing. Then he left with his hand cart.

Sunny felt weary and tired. He went back into room, and looked through the window; everything was usual after the death of old leprosy patient. 'Life is cruel to these peoples, always dependent on others with their fate in the hand of God. It's alright for a tree to place his fate in the hand of nature and believe in God, but not for a man,' he thought. Then he ed the words of Jitubhai: 'With nature everything is organized and everything has a purpose.' But what could be the purpose of nature in getting him arrested and then compelling him to wander in this accursed land, where people suffer endlessly and die without their last rites. Is it a better place than prison? Is this way God istering this world? I can't spend my life waiting endlessly for God to help me and die without Sandra. He shivered with the thought of losing Sandra, and thought of Jitubhai and wondered. He was successful in life, he valiantly fought adversity in his life and now doing his best for others, and he trusts in God!

Sunny was lying on his bed and it seemed like the middle of night, but it was actually ten o'clock in the morning when he heard the knock at his door. 'All right, all right!' he shouted sitting up. 'Jitubhai is calling you.' 'Calling me?' 'Yes.' He looked at alarm clock, and then rushed over to washstand and splashed water over his face. His blood-shot eyes stared back at him from the tiny mirror. Vaguely he tried to what time he slept last night. Whatever it was, it must have been quite late, perhaps in the morning itself. He patted his face dry with a towel, hurriedly he changed his dress. He came down dressed in an old shirt and a faded pair of jean. He slipped on his jacket and pushed back his rough hair where it had drifted down on his forehead.

Jitubhai was sitting behind a desk and discussing something earnestly with a lady seemed to be a senior executive of a big Company. She was pretty and looked delicate. She looked small and serious and stylish. She was wearing a well-cut black suit and her long straight black hair, which she had knotted into a sleek bun. 'She is Madam Deepika Sahni,' said Jitubhai. 'Hello,' said Sunny. 'Hello,' said the lady and tried to pretend she was not looking at him, but he knew she was. She was in her mid forties, and her face possessed sharply edged features, and her skin was fair and unlined. She was beautiful, reserved, confident, and was talking with very specific chosen words looking nowhere. 'I told you earlier, he is a promising boy and could be a good assistant for you,' said Jitubhai, and she looked at him. In-spite of his weary and beaten looks she felt the essential goodness in him. 'All right, if you say so,' she said softly. Her voice was surprisingly deep but still quite feminine. Sunny wondered who she was, and what she was doing in this remote town. Soon the meeting ended, and at the time of leaving she gave her business card to Sunny and said, 'Meet me on Monday at ten in my office,' and she started walking to her chauffer driven luxury car waiting outside the office. Sunny nodded without speaking. There wasn't anything to say. He watched her walk to her car, get in, and drive away without looking back. 'She was a strong woman,' he thought. And once her car went away, Jitubhai said, 'She is managing director of a big marketing Company in New Delhi, and she raises funds for various NGOs.' Jitubhai paused for a while and again said, 'Sunny you're going to start a new phase of life. Never forget that in-spite of all your odds in your past you were an excellent marketing manager, and you can do wonders again. No one can go in past and change it, but we can start from now and make a brand new ending. If you don't design your own future plan, chances are you'll again fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they will plan for you? They will only use you. The

only thing that stands between you and your dreams is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible. The first step towards success is taken when you refuse to be captive of the environment in which you find yourself in present. So never let die the excitement of winning. Nobody told you, you're tougher than you look!' Sunny said nothing.

In the hospital Sandra lifted the tiny bundle from nurse's hand and smothered the covers expertly with one hand and gazed at her baby for the first time. This was Sunny's last gift to her. She promised to herself to guard that with her life, do all she could give her, only the best. She would live and breathe and work, and give her very soul to this girl. Her daughter was perfectly healthy and her resemblance to Sunny was striking. When Sandra looked at her, she was looking at Sunny. It was a strange feeling, a mixture of joy and sadness. How Sunny would have loved to see his beautiful daughter! Sandra thought of many names for her daughter. She studied many names, and had finally agreed on a name, Nancy. She loved the sound of it, and it seemed her to perfection. Name itself represent the happiness and good fortune for her. When she brought Nancy home a practical nurse stayed at the home for two months. After that Sandra was alone, and she was terrified that she might do something wrong. She called the Doctor constantly, at all hours of the day and night. She loved holding Nancy, bathing and diapering her, taking her for airings in her shiny pram. She talked to her constantly, and occasionally Nancy rewarded her with a smile. The first time Nandu saw baby, he stared at it for a long time and then said, 'she is a real beauty. She takes after her father.' Sandra let Nandu to take her daughter in his arms and she laughed cheerfully.

11

Sunny arrived in New Delhi with his old torn backpack moving into a cheap boarding house in Pahar Gang He soon began to walk slowly towards the office of Madam Sahni. He was walking little slower with each step lost in his thoughts. He was shabbily dressed in cotton shirt and in jean pant. The office of Madam Sahni was situated in Connaught Place. Sunny timidly knocked the door and entered in her office sharp at ten o'clock. He glanced around her tastefully decorated office. It was an old fashioned complete wood ed office with heavy leather furniture and Madam Sahni was sitting attentively across a massive carved desk, her eyes thoughtful, and her one hand toying with a golden letter opener. In her other hand a cigarette was glowing. Looking at Sunny her thin and carefully plucked eyebrows went up almost imperceptibly. She placed her cigarette in the ash holder, letting the smoke come out through her mouth. 'Have you brought your resume?' she asked. Sunny was amazed to see her. Her voice was charged with energy, and it soon dragged him back to reality. 'Yes madam,' said Sunny and he handover a copy of his resume to her. She stared at Sunny for a while and then started reading it. After some time she looked up and said, 'Sit down.' Her voice was husky and vibrant. There was energy about her that was almost overpowering Sunny. 'This is quite a resume,' she said raising her eyebrows. 'Thank you,' responded Sunny sheepishly. 'How much of it is real?' 'I'm sorry?'

'Most of the resume that comes across my desk is fictions. Are you good at what you do?' 'I'm very good at what I do, Madam.' 'Can you handle pressure?' she asked. 'I think so.' 'What is your expectation to earn in a week?' 'I don't know.....I think.....' 'This is not a guessing contest. Be very specific in your reply. Can you handle pressure work or can't you? And can you continue doing work after many rejections?' she asked looking straight in his eyes. Sunny was not sure of any answer, so he said nothing. He was afraid to give an answer the lady might not like, and he was not sure what to say. He looked at her surprised and remained silent. 'Do you know what your problem is?' she asked again, and took out a thin brown cigarette from a golden case and lit it. She paused for some time and said. 'I think you must consult a psychiatrist first. You have to come out of your depression before you this office.' 'Yes madam,' Sunny agreed nervously, and a sick cold feeling spread in the pit of his belly. He swallowed quickly. 'You know,' she said soberly letting the smoke drifted across his face. 'Jitubhai told me, you were selling some financial products earlier. And your company did illegal business and blamed you for everything is it correct?' Sunny looked at her silently, and he felt the sweat breaking out on his fore head, and he shook his head and she again said, 'I can understand, but in life you have to be reflective, not reflexive where man becomes emotional. There is no scope of becoming emotional in this business. You have to change your complete attitude in the way you think, move and act. You must have an electrifying presence where ever you go. There must be an earth quake where you stand!' she said and gripped her one hand. She spoke rapidly for Sunny to understand and he

listened all she said excitedly. 'Your job profile is quite different here. There is no product to sell, and it's a concept selling, and you have to sell emotions! Here earnings are fabulous, and everything here is professional. You know acting is art, not a God gift! You have to learn it step by step.' 'Yes, Madam.' Sunny replied with confidence now. At this time a buzzer on her desk sounded harshly. She picked up her phone, and without listening she said, 'Call me after ten minutes,' and she dropped phone with a bang. She was perfectionist and her voice was filled with ion, and therefore everything around her was miserable. Then she explained him working of her organization that after orientation new recruits move in field to raise funds for various NGO. They give presentation to persons who can afford to pay large donations. At the close of talk she smiled and asked, 'Are you ready to ?' 'Yes, Madam.' 'Good.' 'You're on a month trial.' 'I understand.' She plucked a pen from a cup on the table, jotted an address on a paper and handed it to him. 'Call me if you have any problem,' she said. 'Yes madam.' 'Fine, tomorrow you report at this address.' And she handed him a slip with address of her other office.

After three months Sandra got an interview call from a bank. Sandra hated the

idea of being away from her daughter, but the thought of ing bank filled her with excitement. She had completely cut herself off from job so long. It was time to re-enter her professional world. She looked in the mirror and decided the first thing she had to do was get her body back to shape. She had been dieting and exercising since shortly after Nancy's birth, but now she went at it even more strenuously, and soon began to look like her old self. She started to interview housekeepers. She started looking for their weaknesses, lies, incompetence. She interviewed more than ten potential candidates, before she found one she liked and trusted a middle-aged woman named. A week later, Sandra ed the bank. In morning, before Sandra went to the bank, she made Nancy's breakfast herself and spent as much time as possible playing with her before she left. When she came home in the evening, she devoted all her time to Nancy. She forced herself to leave her office problems at the office only. She also tried not to work after office hours. She would let nothing intrude on her private world. A year had flown by since Nancy had been born. She had taken her first steps and she understands the words for nose, mouth and head. She was lively, innocent face, full of sensuous mouth, and sparkling eyes. Sandra planned Nancy's first birthday party in a big way. She invited a dozen children from the neighborhood, and their mothers. The only adult male guest was Nandu. He brought a doll similar the size of Nancy. The party lasted for two hours, and it was splendid. The children ate, fought over the toys, and cried when their balloons burst. But all in all, Sandra thought, it was great triumph party. That night, after the entire guest had left and Nancy had been put to bed, Sandra sat at his bedside watching her sleeping daughter, marveling at this wonderful creature that had come from her body. Sunny would have been so proud to have seen how Nancy had behaved. Somehow the joy was diminished because it was her alone. Sandra thought of all the birthdays to come, Nancy would be two years old. Then she will be five, then ten and twenty. And she would be married, and she would leave her. She would make her own life for herself. Suddenly she felt sorry for herself. She lay in bed that night, wide awake, reliving every detail of the party, ing it all. One day, perhaps, she could tell Sunny about it.'

Next day Sunny reached at mentioned address. It was a small hall overcrowded with over forty persons nicely dressed in formals and busy in gossips as if they were in some fashion parade. A deep voice boomed over the hall. 'Good morning.' The voice was rich and resonant, and it had an air of authority that was mesmerizing, and it was loud enough to get attention of everybody, and all responded him with same spirit, few even raised their hands. A young smart and well-dressed man appeared on a dais, and he introduced himself, 'I'm Rajiv Thakur Business Manager,' and then he opened a folded paper and started reading names with their collections for the last day, and in last he announced names of three best achievers of yesterday. Everybody clapped for them. Then he called Sunny along with another two newcomers on dais and introduced them to all present in hall. 'Friends today our first new comer is Manjit Singh, you can call him by his nick name, Sunny. He is young energetic and have past experience in marketing financial products for overseas trade, and I'm sure he will be soon be your tough competitor,' he said Everybody clapped to welcome him. After morning meeting, he called Sunny in his chamber and introduced him to a young girl, 'She is Anjali senior executive and you will be working with her for two weeks, after that you will work independently. You must selling is a number game. The law of average always works in long run. The more people you meet and tell your story, the more sales you will make. This is simple cause and effect formula,' he said. Sunny knew the basics of selling, but he listen to him attentively as if he was listening for the first time, and he continued. 'First you must find your target audience who is willing to listen to you, and then give your presentation persuasively and effectively. Anjali is excellent orator,

you should closely watch her how efficiently she closes sale. Do you know how much she earns in a week?' Before Sunny could make any wild guess, he himself said, 'She always earns in five figures every week! And to be like her you have to first make up your mind. All powers are based on your perception; if you think you have got it, then you have got it. Your power is your capacity and ability to get things done, to exercise control over people events and situations. If you firmly believe you have power, you can convey that self-confident perception to others. It's you who determine how they see, believe and react to you,' he said. Soon Sunny was relieved, and he came out of office with Anjali with their kits to move in the field. Anjali was an ordinary village girl from Karnataka with simple features. She was hardly five feet in height with dark shadow under her eyes; still she was always counted between first three achiever of the organization. Many times she was at first position, and was likely to be promoted to the position of Manager soon. Sunny thought that all those who succeed in life are not necessarily handsome, smart and most pleasing in their personal life. Even a pretty face is of no use, if it can't win the confidence of others. A strong wit only makes a man more troublesome.

After a fortnight working with Anjali, and with little success Sunny was told to work independently. He appreciated and ired the of Anjali, but he was still not ready to bounce back in life. In the streets of Delhi he worked hard. Not only did it help him to keep his mind off Sonia during the day, but it was something he felt he had to do. He ed his father had once told him, 'Give a day's work your best. Anything less is stealing.' He continued to think about Sandra, especially at night. After spending few days in a cheap hotel he rented a room in a rundown part of city. It was most depressing place he had ever seen. Ugly housing blocks with broken windows. The stairwells covered in graffiti and stinking of piss, were home of petty criminals. Drugs were available all over at cheap.

Sunny watched the successful people drive off in shiny cars, and he envied them. He wanted to kill them. It was not that he had failed; it was that he had failed at the bottom. He could go down no further. He hid in his room and begged God to take away his desire to be successful. His mother had been wrong, he thought. He was never going to be successful. But Sunny was determined to stay clean. He knew his life dependent on it. But it was tough. The loneliness was grinding, soul destroying and ever present. His days were spent running around in scorching sunlight and in rain. Diwali came and then New Year's Eve, and Sunny spent them alone. On New Year day there was unexpected heavy rainfall. Sunny squinted up at the grey sky, a faint raindrop dropping hard on his forehead, wiping it off he walked the streets, watching pedestrians hurrying to the warmth of their home and families, and he ached with a feeling of emptiness allowed himself to get wet in rain. He missed Sandra terribly. He shook his head feeling the rain dripping from the ends of his hair. He started running in showering of rain water and he ran he could no longer, until the breath was rasping in his throat and he was spent. Then he sank into the shade of a building, slumped against the cool stone of a pillar. There was nothing, but the frightening beating of his heart sounding in his ears. He closed his eyes and rested. After a while, when rain stopped, he again got to his feet and began to walk. He again drifted with the flow of the crowd and began to push his way through. Sunny shuffled along the crowded streets, his worn dark shirt hanging loosely on his emaciated frame. He kept his face averted, his eyes looking downward toward the ground. He moved awkwardly, and kept his hands in his pockets. A erby bumped into him as he apologized, revealing a smile. He saw the expression on the man's face and quickly averted his face again, and allowed himself to be caught up in the flow of the crowd and carried along. As the rain started he began to jog along the pavement, his shoes cleaving through the puddles of filthy water collected in dips of concrete. By the time he reached home, his hair and clothes were completely soaked. On the stairs he took the steps two at a time and unlocked the door to his room. It was located in an old building that had once been a tobacco warehouse, and the reek of tobacco leaves was still lingered. His home was one room on third floor

with a small bathroom. He hung his wet clothes to dry, and wiped his face and hair with a towel he grabbed off the rack. He put a pot of tea and watched it boiling while he thought of Sandra. A cup of tea in his hand he looked out the window and across the street at cluttered line of row houses that had been converted into small apartments like his. Sunny eyed the dull brown of the walls that seemed designed to depress further those who lived in near-suicidal intent. He wondered how many men called this place home. There were two kinds of people, in the city. The rich people and the others. The rich people don't look down on the others; they felt sorry for them for surely. God meant to them to have big houses, luxurious cars, and give drink parties in five star hotels for hundred peoples. He began to hate all the people who would not give him a favor, the people who made promises they never kept. And with ing days his bitterness grew. Though he was earning enough to survive and survival was the first thing he required to be successful, but he was never made just to survive in the life. He thought he was now one of the others, and he was never going to be successful. He had become a brooding fanatic, obsessed with God's punishment, welcoming it. Tomorrow he would find some other job, perhaps a dish washer in a hotel, or he would be again on road giving presentations, trying to win over the people before they show no interest in his speech. He would smile at them innocently and meet the next man. In society he will be nobody, a shameless, insult proof creature, a man in crowd like millions of others, faceless, nameless, and anonymous. He becomes restless and hardly slept in night and continually thought about his next inevitable encounter with failure. 'What was his problem,' he thought and then he saw his face in mirror; it was fear. Fear a far stronger emotion, than any of the others bestowed upon human kind. His fear of failure was dragging him back, he thought.

Sunny was troubled in his mind, and he was wondering if the time would ever come when he would be free of the clouds that were hanging over his head. He strongly believed that he would never be satisfied until he could stand before the

world without a slur upon his character, and the police could point to the actual culprit. Sunny thought and wondered why he could not come out of his hibernation mode. 'Is there a way out?' He thought. It was scary to think about his past. The persons who cheated him and put him in prison were either dead or at in a foreign land beyond his approach, and he could not teach them any lesson. 'Perhaps only money is important to be successful in life, the world is full of sick people and the biggest sickness in the world is poverty,' he thought. Philosophers think that Have and Have-not in the world have made all chaos. Placing one's fate in the hand of God is no answer to any problem. War of life can only be won by a strategy. One has to declare a kind of war on himself to make himself more forward. One has to wage a ruthless and continual battle on his emotions within him by applying certain strategy. Victory not fairness is the answer, and one's desire to compromise in life always works against him. Genius has the ability to respond to circumstances. Super strategist has always seen the things as they are. They were highly sensitive to danger and opportunities. One should make his mind into habit of making lightening quick decisions. One has to place himself on battle of life where his back is against the wall and he has to fight like hell to outlive.

Another day he again did some soul searching, and he thought; 'If I don't change, I would go nowhere. What kind of a man would I be if I let this happen to me? I have broken the prison order, and now I've created my own prison and walls. I must trust in whatever is happening to me and I need to renew my faith in tackling my problems.' 'When did I lose my confidence!' he wondered. 'Does it all started with hitting Luca?' he thought. 'But hitting Luca was not regret, he deserved ever more. It is always dangerous to be right when others are wrong.' 'Not responding to Sandra's warnings may be the reason. I couldn't understand the real business of the company in spite of many warnings by Sandra. But it was too late to do anything. Luca had done his deeds.'

'The separation with Sandra and now fear of losing her is the basic cause of my depression. Her company had always kept me on a treill of activities. And meeting Jitubhai and Anjali were no coincidences,' he realized as he finally started putting the pieces together at the edge of his consciousness.

One day in New Delhi during his marketing venture Sunny entered in the office of one company. It was an old fashioned firm importing papers for printing of newspapers from all parts of the world. They called themselves general merchant, and Imran Khan, the present owner was regarded a man of status and substance. He was a man of sixty now, but looking a great deal less with his alert upright figure, and with bright eyes. He was tall, spare, very erect man, and beneath his thick silver gray hair his eyebrows were still dark and beetling. He had worked in same company over thirty years as confidential clerk and then Manager, and when the owner was no more he stepped into all there was left of the once great concern, together with the freehold house in Pahar Ganj where the business was carried on smoothly from a long time. He was contended to carry on business in much the same way as his predecessor had done in the same old grimy office. Not a rupee had been spent there any time in the last two decades; no paint had brightened up the front of his office, which was just the same as they had been twenty years before. Behind the house lay a wide bare strip of ground which had been a flourishing garden earlier, and when it was suggested to him that he might get good money for this derelict land, he only smiled. He was not so easy going as he looked. As long as he had all he needed with enough for his wants and to spare. He had his charming home above his office presided over by his daughter, and he was not going to worry about money-grubbing. The daily task was nearly over, and most of the staff had already left with the exception one receptionist. Sunny entered his office in full enthusiasm and warmly shook his hand with him. As usual he gave his presentation and Imran listened to him patiently with interest. 'I will do my best,' he said in his quite way. 'I'm happy and appreciate you are doing a great job,' and he ordered for two coffee. He opened a drawer, and issued a cheque of substantial amount toward donation.

It was much over Sunny expected from him. Then he talked over phone to different peoples, and strongly recommended for their contribution for the good cause. He gave several addresses of perspective donors to Sunny to them in coming days. He knew many rich donors like a book; and he told that on various occasion he had planned and rendered a distinctive service to various NGOs, and even at present he was deeply interested in the projects which were taking place, and assured Sunny to do his best in future also. There was something unusual in him, and Sunny realized him utterly without fear, brave, and strong with a strange strength. He had wonderful patience which surprised Sunny, and in spite of great difference in age he was quite friendly. His manners were easy and perfect. Sunny was not expecting such humble and fabulous response from him, and he showed his gratitude and appreciated his generosity. It was a more than a usual meeting, and created a bond like that of Jitubhai. 'Good persons are still in this world,' Sunny thought. In next two days Sunny was able to accumulate a large sum of donations, more than his last three months struggle to establish. He was in high spirit because of excellent and gratifying returns he had received from his last catches of marketing. He was especially pleased with funds raised by him for the welfare of destitute. Now his excursion had made him successful in his profession. It was the first step to his progress, and it was a long one, and Sunny knew that with it came his final turning point. The past was going to bury its dead and future was bright and golden. There after Sunny made a routine in evening to meet him without fail, and he always welcome him warmly. One day Imran asked, 'What's matter with you? You look very sad.' Sunny reluctantly told his story. 'Ah well,' Imran said, obviously forcing a laugh. 'Tragedy is not in my life, though I've been pretty close to it many times. Perhaps you think I have overlooked the fact of your past, but not so, my son, not so. There is a hidden depth in you, that few people give you credit for. But I know, and if all go well, you will soon be lucky.' 'That is very nice of you, sir,' said Sunny with sincerity.

'I've a small personal question for you,' he asked 'Why do you love her?' He asked about Sandra. 'I ire her independence of character. She fascinates me, and there is some strange mystery about her. She is wonderfully beautiful in a dashing way. Any man whose affection had not been pledged anywhere would have felt his pulse leaping just looking at her,' said Sunny. 'I know you are young and ambitious, and she is helping to make you success. But has it ever struck you why?' 'Perhaps she also likes me.' Sunny laughed and then again said. 'My whole heart and soul is given over to a consuming ion for her. You know what ion is? In ion one could go to any length to win, and if anything stood in the way, one would destroy it.' 'When did you meet her last?' 'I think it is over three years,' said Sunny. 'She will be delighted to see you again, after all these years. Do you think she will be still waiting for you?' he asked quizzically by raising his high eyebrows. 'I don't know.' 'Oh, I suppose you know whether she is married now?' he asked, and Sunny missed a heartbeat. And there was no commitment beyond your friendship with her, is it true? Stop fooling yourself,' Imran said. Sunny thought for a while and left his office without saying anything to him. When Sunny left his office Imran eased back in his very comfortable chair and looked around his spacious, wood ed office.

12

The seasons came and went and that revolved around Nancy. She was center of Sandra's world. She watched him grow and develop, day by day, and it was a never ending wonder as she began to walk and talk and reason. Her mood changed constantly and she was in turn, wild, aggressive, shy and loving. She became upset when Sandra had to leave her for work. When Nancy was two years old she was impossible, a typical naughty girl. She was destructive and stubborn and violent. She loved to fix things. She broke Sandra's mobile phone, ruined the television at home, and took Sandra's wrist watch apart. She mixed rice and sugar, and made paintings on the walls of home. At three Nancy suddenly became gentle, affectionate and loving. She had the physical coordination of her body, and she loved doing things with her hands. She no longer broke things. She enjoyed playing outdoors, climbing and running and riding her tricycle. Sandra took him to gardens and zoo and played together. They walked along the beach and saw the festival of Ganesh, and had ice-cream sodas afterward at Juhu beach. Nancy had become a companion. As a mother's day gift Nancy learned a nice poem for Sandra. It was the most touching moment of Sandra's life.

Nancy was growing unbelievably fast. Sandra enrolled her in a school nearby their home, and Nancy loved it. At night when Sandra came home they would sit in their drawing room, watching television and read together. Sandra would read magazines and Nancy would read her picture books. Sandra would watch as she sprawled out on the floor, her brow knit in concentration, and she would suddenly be reminded of Sunny. She was miniature Sunny. Her separation was still like an open wound. She wondered where Sunny was and what he was doing. Time was a swiftly flowing river that had no shores, no boundaries. There was office, and the memories of Sunny, but mainly it was Nancy who was time's calendar, a reminder of how quickly the

time was ing. Sandra wanted Nancy to grow up to be strong and independent, she tried to walk a carefully balanced life, letting her know how much she loved her, making her aware that she was always there when she needed her and yet giving her a sense of her own independence. She taught her to love good books and to enjoy music. On Sundays, they would go for a picnic in the afternoon, have meal in a restaurant. Sandra gave all the love that was stored in her, but she was careful to try not to spoil her. She planned her strategy with Nancy more carefully that she had planned any office work, determined not to fall into the traps of one-parent home. Another day was Nancy was angry asking about her father. Sandra was frustrated what to say. Nancy had broken a flower pot and had spilled her milk on kitchen floor. Sandra didn't say anything to her. She gently washed, and then she gave her cookies and another glass of milk while she set about scrubbing the kitchen. He was not sure what to say, so she smiled and said nothing. Sandra felt no sacrifice in spending so much time with Nancy, and she was great fun. They played word games, and Sandra was delighted by quickness of her daughter's mind. Sandra took her on long trips. During summer, Sandra took time off to go Shimla for skiing. They walked on Mall, ridge, and Jakhu hill where they saw playful monkeys waiting to be fed by visitors. At Mall they ate popcorns and enjoyed pleasing sunshine, and then purchased children books from a book stall. Sandra bought a nice hat for Nancy, and photographed her in different poses.

At other occasion Sandra took Nancy to Darjeeling and they spent two weeks exploring the countryside. Nancy adored Darjeeling. They drove down in one canopied Jonga that hotel supplied to its guest. The weather was perfect. Nancy stood at the edge of it watching snow covered Kanchenjunga. They strolled along the colorful market on the Hill Cart Road, where there were hundreds of stalls selling a bewildered variety of merchandise. In the late afternoon, they hired ponies to go at sunset point, and then returned to hotel. After three days they shifted to Kalimpong and stayed in Hotel Silver Oak. They visited town and had lunch at Gompu's restaurant. They saw Dr. Graham's Home

and Pine View nursery. And they saw varieties of rare cactus, enjoyed butterflies and marveled nature's beauty. Sandra made prayer at Tsonga Gumba for Sunny. Nancy also prayed at Gumba, and when Sandra asked what pray she did. She didn't reply, but Sandra knew what it was! When they ed by Saint Joseph's convent, Nancy asked, 'Could I go to school here? Sandra felt a pang. It would not long before she will go away to school, and one day she'll get married and have her own home and family. Was that not what she wanted for her? She asked herself. Of course, yes, she thought. When Nancy was ready, she would let him go with open arms, and yet she knew how difficult it was going to be. Nancy was looking at her, waiting for an answer. 'Can I mom? She asked again. 'May be some time?' Sandra held him close, 'Of course. They'll be lucky to get you.' In the night Nancy asked Sandra about his father. 'His name was Capt. Manjit Singh, and he was killed in kargil war. He was a very brave man,' she said. 'Don't we have a picture of him anywhere?' 'No, I'm sorry, dear. We-----we weren't married very long before he died. She hated to lie, but she had no choice.

Another day it was a fine evening when Imran asked Sunny do you know we have met earlier also.' 'No,' a puzzle look crossed his face. 'Did you know me earlier?' said Sunny with surprise.

'Let's go into my chamber where we can talk,' said Imran. At the moment, Imran was in a benevolent mood looking Sunny. He led Sunny through the office to a closed door, which he unlocked with a key. His chamber was elegantly furnished, and it looked more like a hotel lobby than a place of business, with no desk, just couches, chairs, and tables artfully placed. The walls were covered with modern paintings. They sat at a large, comfortable Sofa with an old-fashioned lamp hanging over it. The floor was tastefully decorated with costly carpets and curtains hung from ceiling to floor. 'Would you like a drink? He offered. 'Whisky, Scotch, Beer?' 'No-------nothing. Thank you,' said Sunny. He was suddenly nervous. 'Please sit down and try to recognize me,' said Imran. Sunny looked at him and tried to where he had seen him. 'Ok, you once came to my office in Bombay for a presentation,' said Imran. 'I understand you must be meeting lot of people and don't me. I know your MD, son of bitch have no moral. He played trick and involve you. I felt very bad when I heard about you.' Sunny listened to him in silence. He leaned back in his chair and looked around the large office. An aura of tension had crept into the room. 'I know you've suffered a lot with no fault of you. But, my dear it would be waste your talents if you involve in petty work of marketing like this. I know about your way of working in Bombay. You handled it brilliantly,' said Imran. Sunny looked at Imran, and Imran looked at him. 'Now that's behind me. It was matter of past,' said Sunny. 'But what's ahead of you? You must think about your future. I'm suggesting you a partnership.' Imran leaned back in his chair and steeple his fingers. 'I've a very profitable little side line, and I take great pleasure in sharing those profits with my colleagues. I've been most successful employing people like you if, you'll forgive me ----------who are fugitives,' and Imran leaned back in his chair and again placed his fingers together judicially as he waited for him to answer. His

dark eyes shone behind the lenses of his spectacles. 'Is it similar job I was doing in Bombay?' Sunny's voice was expressionless. He didn't want that part of his life dredged up again. 'Well, yes, but there is no risk in my business. Let me explain you........' Sunny studied his face for some time, more puzzled than ever. He was attractive in a dangerous exciting way. There was a feeling of violence about him, ready to explode. Sunny had met number criminals in prison who committed terrible crimes, but he had the feeling that none of them was as dangerous as this man. Soon he found himself on his feet. 'Thank you for your time Mr. Imran,' said Sunny. 'Are you leaving?' 'Yes. Indeed, I am.' He could feel his eyes burning. 'I'm not a criminal. I came in New Delhi for a job.' 'And I'm offering you one, my dear. I can promise you a lac rupee every month, that too tax free,' and he leaned back in his chair and waited for his answer. Sunny was fighting hard to control his anger. 'I'm not interested. Would you let me go out, please?' 'Certainly, if that you wish.' Imran rose to his feet and showed him to the door. As they reached the front entrance of the office, Imran said, 'you will let me know if you change your mind, won't you? The best time to call me is after six thirty in the evening,' and he ed his business card to him. 'I'll wait for your call.' 'Please don't,' Sunny said curtly, and he walked out of his office. When he reached his room, he was almost trembling. The meeting with Imran had made him feel beaten. He lay awake all night and thought about his future.

That day Sunny returned to his room exhausted. The heat outside had been painfully oppressive all day. He looked his face in a mirror and realized he was a sick man, his hairs were greasy and dirty, and his head had dropped from weakness. He lifted his head staring the roof with his swinging eyes. He was clad in a cotton shirt and a jean pent, and had lost over twenty kilo weight. He was growing helpless. The sweat from exertion streamed from his face and showed through the shirt across his shoulders. He was horribly afraid that sickness was overpowering him, and leaving him at its mercy. He managed to get into his bed, where he fainted in a state of collapse. Either the God would have to arrive, or he would have to do something. Lying in his bed he opened his notebook and started reading it, but soon his notebook dropped from his hand. It was either a dream or just reverie he saw Sandra clung lovingly to his arm, her eyes were on his face, and her arms about his neck as if she would never let him go again. He was in some paradise and he could feel her heart beating against his own, her warm breath was on his cheek and the pressure of those soft arms were infinitely soothing. He thought of Sandra. It was over one and half year since he had gone away from Bombay. It was a long time since then, and the prospect had appeared remote enough, but yet here he was in this perfect time, which was actually his own. 'After I lost everything, I still have Sandra with me, and it would only a question of waiting and working for a few more months,' he thought. Soon he rose in vain and he raged up and down, cursing the fate that had robbed him of his happiness at that moment. He tried again to think out some scheme by which he could earn lot of money. But the fate had been nursing his wrath all this time, and had struck unerringly. 'What would Sandra think about me?' he thought again. There was only one thing for it, for him to put his pride and his depression in his back pocket and go, and earn mercilessly. And he knew perfectly well that unless something out of common happened, he was not likely to see her again. There was a nervous moment of his hand, and he thought about his first job. 'They knew I could only understand little about their real business, and they have cunningly lured me into their trap and ruined me.' He knew very little of their world, and in spite of repeatedly warned by Sandra he could not understood them. Now he seemed to know without anyone telling

him that everything was not going as it apparently seemed. Now he had not spoken to a man about it yet something told him that he was right. He was drawn and tired, and a thought flashed across his mind that he was not bold and courageous that he had taken himself for. 'If a comparatively little thing like this upset me so greatly, then what would happen to settle in life,' it was impossible for his strong self-reliant wit to believe this. 'That's monstrous!' Sunny cried. He knew he was ridiculous. It was his war that had to be fought and won. At the same time he hated what he was doing to overcome his depression. But he knew sooner, or later, he would come through like a frail flower growing under a solid rock of destiny. In the end nothing could stop it from bursting through and blooming. The least he deserve a chance, he would do anything to be successful and rich. Sunny rose with a white and terrified face. 'I must fight the thing through, and I've to be rich by any mean.'

Next day Sunny walked out of his room and headed for Imran. 'It's ridiculously simple,' Imran was explaining. 'You will have your posh office in Connaught Place, and you recruit your pretty secretary,' said Imran and his eyes twinkled. 'Exporters and importers will come to you. We have ready customers, and you have not to move in market in search any of any business. All of them need bank loans. We have good overseas s for getting LCs and bank guarantees from Singapore, London and New York. You have to understand their requirements and send message to our overseas counterparts, and they will do the needful. You will be assisted by a qualified CA (Chartered ant) for your dealing with bank.' Imran paused for a moment and again said, 'You will be entitled for ten percent share of profit besides fixed monthly salary of one lac rupees. You don't have to look for your accommodation; it is already there in a posh colony of South Delhi.'

Then he looked straight in to eyes of Sunny and said. 'I hope you will appreciate I've come up fairly good with your share. What do you say?' Sunny sat there looking at him, thinking. 'I must be crazy. I'm sitting here calmly discussing my same old job with this gentleman.' 'I don't want to go back to prison,' Sunny said sheepishly. 'There is no danger of that. Not one of my people has ever been caught. Not while they are working with me.' That was obvious. Sunny was going to say no. But the whole idea was insane. 'You said one lac per month, ten percent share in profit,' said Sunny. 'Yes, cash every month with no tax liability. Do you seem to have some doubts about my proposition?' He stared at Sunny trying to read his mind. Sunny kept his expression blank. It was a fortune, enough to take care of him until he could figure out what to do with his life. He thought of the dirty room he lived in, of the screaming tenants. But Sunny still could not bring himself to say 'Yes' to Imran. The tension was like an immense knot in the pit of his stomach. 'I would confirm this on Monday evening,' said Sunny. He was in an agony of indecision. 'It's okay. I'll arrange a driving license and a credit card for you with a new name. You will have your car's key from this office. You do drive, don't you?' 'Yes.' 'Excellent. There is a fine flat at South Extension. I'll reserve it for you. You can shift any time you like,' said Imran and took out a packet new currency notes from his drawer and pushed towards Sunny. Imran made it all sound so simple. He had learned a great deal about human nature. He found out how it was easy to arouse greed in people, and they believed in his incredible tales because their greed made them want to believe. This was the moment to say no, to get up and walk out. 'But, walk out to where?'

thought Sunny.

With the fifty thousand rupees that Imran advanced him, Sunny purchased new dresses. So far everything was going smoothly. As Imran promised, Sunny received an envelope containing a driving license, and keys of new car and flat. Sunny packed his few belongings and left. 'I'll never live in a place like this again.' Sunny promised himself. What he was doing had the unreality of a dream, and he was terrified. What if he will be caught again? Was the risk worth what he was about to do? He had suffered a lot in past, but had consolation that what he did was no wrong. Now he was willingly entering in the world of crime. 'It's ridiculously simple.' Imran had said. 'He wouldn't be involved in anything like this if he wasn't sure about it. He has reputation to protect. I've reputation too.' Sunny thought bitterly. 'But it's all bad.' 'The first thing I should be careful about g any document. It's better never to use any pen. All criminal proceeding starts with accepting a designation or g a document. Luca and MD had never done such stupid things. I should learn from them. I've to be cunning like them. I will be only a Consultant in the Company of Imran. It is well said, 'Good habits should also be learnt even from you bitter enemies. No..., it is not correct, the quote does stand true only for intelligent and worthy enemies, not for stupid persons like Luca and MD, he thought quickly. It will be un-justice to me if God don't put me before MD once. I'll kill that bastard. I'll cut him in pieces, bit by bit. First I'll cut his fingers from his hands, and then cut him into pieces each one for every day I spent in prison and in isolation for him.' Sunny knew what he was doing; he was trying to justify himself to commit a crime. It didn't work. By the time he reached near his new home, he was nervous wreck. Twice, he almost ran his car off the road. He made a stop near a wine shop, and purchased a bottle of whisky and started drinking it neat on the road. 'One lac tax free salary plus ten percent share in profit, no marketing efforts. Assistance from a qualified Chartered ant, no g documents, no commitments- where is the risk?' he asked himself.

'If I have a trace of brain, I should get away from here while there's still time, before my own conscious labels me as criminal. After all injustice to me I've pride on myself being honest to my conscious. Luca deserved his death, so God killed him. MD also deserves the similar fate, die like a stray dog, run over by some ing vehicle. But surely it will be injustice to me if I don't kill him with my hands,' 'What if I go away, but where I'll go, there is no place for me to go, except this luxurious hell,' he thought. 'Now if I don't go to my new home, somebody other will go. And now because I know the secret of Imran, I maybe killed by ing vehicle on road, and after death I can see the headline; Dangerous fugitive killed by ing vehicle.' He tried, but could not move. He was frozen with fear. 'I can't sit here on road forever,' he told himself. 'Why don't I just go take a look at my new home? At least a quick look of it.' Sunny took a deep breath and tried to lock his car, but he couldn't. He left the car and started walking in search of his flat, his knees were shaking. He approached the flat slowly, and he could see that it was completely dark over there. 'Oh, God, I'm doing it,' he thought. 'I'm really going ahead with it.' He looked at his watch. It was two in the morning. 'Oh, God, I had been sitting there so long and dreaming. 'If I'm going to do it, I'd better move.' His heart was pounding so loudly he could no longer hear any other sounds, and he stood stock-still, trembling for long time. Sunny slowly put the key in the lock, and pushed. The door of his flat swung opened. He waited a full minute before he stepped inside. Every nerve in his body throbbed to a savage beat as he stood in the hallway, listening, afraid to move. The flat was filled with deserted silence. He switched on the light. The master bed room was at the end of the hallway. It was beautiful, done in dusky blue. He collapsed onto the bed without kicking his shoes. He stared unblinkingly at the plaster ceiling. He had no energy to move. It was the end of a very long, upsetting day-no matter how many times he reminded himself that he was on wrong way. But he didn't had all the answer he wanted-was a problem. He was now working for a sophisticated criminal.

'It's stupid!' he cried lifting his head onto a pillow. He didn't like note of self-pity in his tone. But if he was right, why was he lying in bed drunk? Why hadn't he realized he was being played? He was traumatized and needed time. He squeezed his eyes shut, appalled at his thinking. He could never allow himself to become that cold- never, never...............never. Hot tears dripped down onto his pillow. It was time to begin a new life, but what kind of life it was? He'd gone from an innocent naive victim to a.........what?' Sunny laughed until the tears again streamed down his face.

13

Imran was happy capitalist and a recent import from China had made him still richer. He had ed an investment group that had taken over the formerly state owned coal industry and sold it to another group of fellow investors. He had been wise enough to flee the country before the government hammer came down on the country's newly minted rich. He lived most of the time in foreign countries and owned apartments in Dubai, Paris and New York, his millions carefully managed by Swish banks. He returned back when things cooled down. He was now wise enough to manipulate large funds for election campaigns and play with people's psychology and win votes for the ruling party. He had full government protection for his illegal businesses. He was a shrewd and knew how to manipulate law in his favor. He posed himself a small trader doing some import business here and there. There was something to be said for his living underground for most of time. The weather was never a problem and he rarely enjoyed anyone. He was fond of women, especially from Nepal, which suited him most matching to his personality. He was fond of Chinese food, lobsters, and Vodka by gallons. Over the years he had been indicted twenty two times and only been convicted twice, on a minor assault charges. He was ruthless man with the down to earth cunning. He had moved cautiously in the crime world analyzing and testing everything. He was involved into profitable illegal business including financing and dealing in drugs. He found ailing companies that needed financing and went into a minor partnership and gradually took over stripping away whatever assets there were. His brain was like a money sorting machine and his organization was running smoothly. There was no problems, because he knew how to solve difficulties before they become problem. He had once explained his philosophy; 'Never let a small problem to become a big problem, crush it from the root.'

Next morning, Sunny sat in his ultra modern office and sipped black coffee of such strength that he could almost feel his pulse rise with each swallow. In the morning he had awoken with a hangover. There had been a lot of whisky, and he was not used to drinking alcohol like that. It took an effort to get out of bed. 'That whisky did me in. Never again,' he promised himself. His office was impressive, ed and decorated in quite good taste. In his chamber there was a large desk with three chairs in front of it and comfortable leather chair behind it. Wall cabinets were filled with books, periodicals and fitted with antiques and walls with beautiful paintings. Life is so funny sometimes. Funny like when you get everything you like one day, and drop dead the next. Despite the cool weather, a bead of nervous sweat surfaced on his forehead as he thought about it. Sunny looked at nicely artfully printed visiting cards packet lying on his table. It was on his name, and designated him as Chief Executive Officer of an overseas trade finance company of Singapore. Sunny looked and smiles and absorbed in his thoughts. Soon his thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Reluctantly Sunny looked at the door. An attractive tall and exceptionally lovely woman with full figure walked into the room, she was in her early thirties. She had stunning figure, and had an air of command and seniority. Her hair were neatly cut and styled, and she wore black high heeled velvet shoes and tight fitting black dress that stopped high enough above the knees to reveal the most perfectly tapering legs. She had a narrow waist and slim athletic figure. But it was the oval face that was the most captivating feature of her body, and her brown hair curved around her swan neck. She had slightly pouting lips and largest brown eyes. The pearls around her neck could never be mistaken as cultured. There was an air of dignity about her appearance. She was a vivacious beauty, with a pretty face and perfect figure and a smiling face, full of strength and resolution, as befitted one who well born and educated. She was simply stunning, and there was something incredibly magnetic about her. She seemed to belong to another world. Sunny could not imagine what on earth she wanted from him. Their eyes met and locked, each one wondering what they would discover in the others. There was something so basically decent and thoughtful about her he found himself instantly liking her. He looked long

and hard at her. She had bearing of an aristocrat and look of wealth. 'She could have been a movie actress or model,' thought Sunny. He hesitated. She was complete stranger, and he had no idea why she had come to meet him. He decided he had nothing to lose, and let her pursue the subject. She said. 'Sunny? I'm Zarina.' She stuck out her hand. He rose from the chair took it and shook it. It felt slim, but strong. Plain nails, cut short and square. Clear polish. No rings. He introduced himself. 'I'm a great irer of yours,' she said. She was in the prime of life, and she had a delightful voice which could not fail to cast a spell over the listener. Looking Sunny little confused, she said. 'I do business with Imran from time to time. I was asked to see you in this office. May I call you Sunny?' She asked in a friendly voice taking a seat in front of him. Sunny nodded, a faint smile appeared on his lips, 'Please Do. I recently ed him in his new venture.' And he ed Imran told him that a CA (Chartered ant) will assist him. But he was not aware that it will be a charming lady now sitting before him. She was bright, clever, and wildly ambitious. She had dominant wonderful eyes, and she had touch of innocence and vulnerability. And it was more than her beauty that allowed her to embody a man's fantasies. She was ing sex vibrations and at the same time giving contradictory signals. The charm of her personality and her speech was unresistible, and like all of her victims, Sunny felt mixed emotions. The exotic pleasure she offered was hard to resist. Her voice was intoxicating and her words were spoken so sweetly that listeners would find themselves ing not what she said, but how she said it. Everything had a touch of drama and it was accompanied with great energy. By the time someone looks at her, his mind will start spinning with images and dreams. Sunny found the meeting with her enjoyable and intriguing. Zarina told him about herself, 'I've an antique shop at Greater Kailash. I hope that you will visit it one day,' she said. 'A man could be easily deceived by her mere appearance,' Sunny thought once

she was gone.

Imran made a written on court papers and send them to sign by Sunny after a week. Sunny had no choice, and he signed them without reading those. He didn't wanted see them at all. Sunny was offered several loan cases and they were invariably sanctioned by bank. Zarina always accompanied him as his secretary. Sunny had no experience of giving bribe to anyone, and Zarina was never hesitant to do so. Each time she wrapped the money in a sweet box and ed as Holy Prasad from some temple. She ed and always gave costly gifts to senior bank officials at Diwali, New Year or on happy occasion of marriage of their children. Bribe lubricates business, or a cask of wine does more wonders than a church full of saints, were her favorite dictums. Zarina invented new and improved methods for bribes. She gathered the family information of important officials in banks and in governments offices studied their soft corners, and send to them free es for cinema, cricket matches, musical shows, invitation for night parties, and even drugs and prostitutes. She was excellent observer of people's psychology and their weaknesses. She knew how to discover each man's thumb screw. 'By knowing other people's secret and holding information they wouldn't want made public you can seal their fate. You keep them in suspended terror and cultivate an air of unpredictability,' she once said. She was unpredictable, and knew how to keep people dependent on her. They feared her. She had a strange feeling for Sunny, and she find him innocent charming friend. He had never asked her diner or for a night out with her which she expected from the first time she met him. She had strange feeling for Sunny.

Sunny soon came to know that she was not a chartered ant; still she preferred to be called herself a professional C.A. Perhaps with word C.A. she means Creative ant! Manipulating s as per requirements of clients was her expertise. Her

maxim was, when a client sees red, consultant sees green, and she had been as good as her word. She had unusual confidence in herself. In her professional career she had never said 'No' to any proposal. She didn't believe in impossible. She always proudly says 'I'm possible.' Besides her ten percent commissions she charged extra fee per hour she attended the office with Sunny from Imran. She had unique working style and she was only interested in proposals of high values. She had learned long ago that it was easier to get a hundred crore deals than to borrow fifty thousand from a bank. All her meeting with clients and bank officials were held in a conference room of a five star hotels. She invariably attended them hurriedly at odd time pretending she was busy or she was about to leave for abroad immediately after that meeting. Whenever any client came with a proposal of say for twenty crores she used to say, 'Why don't you go for a better project of five hundred grand. Make a new cyber city on outskirt of developing Delhi.' The meaning of grand in her dictionary was equivalent to crores. Her other preferred projects included manufacturing of automobiles, helicopters, and factory for automatic weapons. One day a secretary of a big politician came to heir's office. He had proposal for transfer of one million dollar from a European country received as kickback in a big deal. She easily agreed to it, and she picked a phone and ed a known exporter. She advised him to send an export consignment to Dubai full of wastes and shits, and told him to see that it doesn't reach at the port. When the person asked how it was possible. She simply said throw it in the high sea before it reaches Dubai. 'But custom authority will not allow such consignment to leave the port,' said the other man. 'Don't worry I'll get it arranged for. After all I'm working for a politician, you know......' she said confidently. 'You submit your export documents for million dollars through bank, and ask your buyer to remit money through proper banking channel.' 'Madam, why Dubai buyer will send the payment for shit which he doesn't get,' again asked the person at other end.

'He will get money transfer from Swish bank in his . And don't forget to get insurance of your precious consignment. We'll settle that separately.' Another day she asked one client whether he need a refundable or nonrefundable loan from his bank, and Sunny was amazed to listen to her. When he asked what are these non-refundable loans are? She simply smiled at his question.

It happened so gradually that it did not seem to be happening at all. Sunny was at the center of one of the most powerful organization in the country. Imran invited Sunny to the farmhouse in Gurgaon where, he met Imran Khan, the God-father and mastermind of organization for the first time along with some other men of his organization. Zarina was also present in the party. The meeting was arranged in a big drawing room. The room furnished elegantly with costly furniture and linen drapes. A man came in wheel chair. He held a bottle of champagne in one hand, and he smiled at them. He crossed the room and came in center of drawing room. He shot a shrewd look at Sunny. 'Good afternoon,' he said. His voice was surprisingly deep and very sure of itself. His dark set eyes glittered behind his spectacles. Imran Khan was a shock to Sunny. He was in a wheel chair, a feeble skeleton of a man, and it was hard to imagine him as he must have been. Sunny had dreaded this moment. He fought with a guilt that almost overpowered him. The room opened again, and an attractive dark- haired woman came into the room. She paused when she saw Sunny. A smile came to her lips. She was in her late-thirties, and Imran said to Sunny, 'She is Saira, my wife.' Saira looked at Sunny with eyes that were wise. There was a small awkwardness, and then Saira said softly. 'Imran told me you're genius.' Imran Khan grunted. 'It's not good for young man to be too smart.' They had dinner in a large, old fashioned dining room. 'You sit next to me.' Imran Khan commanded Sunny. Zarina sat next to Sunny.

The lunch was superb. An enormous food was prepared. There was a variety of salads, with at least five vegetables, stuffed mushrooms and baked chicken. It seemed that the dishes never stopped coming. There was no visible servant in the farm house, and Zarina and Saira were constantly jumping up and clearing the table to bring in new dishes from the kitchen. 'My daughter Zarina is a great cook.' Imran Khan told Sunny. 'She's almost as good as her mother was. Isn't true Imran?' 'Yes,' Imran said politely. Zarina was daughter of Imran Khan with his other wife. 'My Zarina's a wonderful.' Imran Khan went on, and Sunny wondered whether it was a casual remark or a warning for him. Imran Khan looked at Sunny and said, 'You're not finishing your meal.' 'I've never eaten so much in my life,' he protested. And it was not over yet. There was a bowl of fresh fruits and plates of ice-cream with cheese and candy. Sunny looked at Zarina, and marveled how she managed to keep her figures. The conversation at dinner seemed more casual, easy and pleasant, and could have been taking place in any one of a thousand Indian homes. It was hard for Sunny to believe that this family was different from any other family. Until Imran Khan said, do you know about Company 'Cruise Trade Finance Plc.?' 'No,' Sunny said. 'It was started in London for financing overseas business, and to protect the small traders from the injustice of banks which were in control of riches. See, the people in power, they robbed the small traders. They controlled all the banks. The small traders had nothing- no money, no finance for their business, and no justice. So the unions were formed. When there was injustice, people came to the of secret brotherhood and they got vengeance. Pretty soon the unions became stronger than law, because it was people's law,' said Imran Khan and then looked at Sunny in his eyes and again said. 'We also get vengeance if someone betrays us.' Sunny had always known instinctively that if he ever worked for their organization he would be taking a giant step and there would be no way back.

But like most outsiders, he had a misconception of what the organization was like. The mafia was generally depicted as a bunch of mobsters sitting around ordering people, murdering and counting the money from loan-sharking and whore houses, but that was only a part of picture. The meeting Sunny attended taught him rest of it. These were businessmen operating on a scale that was staggering. They owned hotels, finance companies, restaurants and gambling dens, factories, building companies and chains of hospitals. They controlled unions and transport. Their income was in crores. How they had acquired those interests was of not Sunny's concern. It was now his job to arrange finance for them from banks.

Most of clients who walked in Sunny's office were poorly dressed, bewildered and in some instances, out and out nut cases required some bank loans. They were not important, but the education parted by them was priceless. Over the months, he came to know that his most of clients were defaulters of some bank's loans. Every time they approached new bank for fresh loan for payment of their overdue, and they came with new set of identities. In majority of cases his Company was posed as project funder, or private lender to actualize their business plan. They assured their financial products can be used for the purchase of goods from any manufacturer irrespective of their location. They also assured their products like BG (Bank Guarantee), SBLC (Standby Letter of Credit) issued from prime banking institutions such as HSBC Bank, UBS Zurich, Barclays Bank, Standard Chartered Bank etc., and can also serve as collateral with any bank in the world to secure loan for their project or to establish a new line of credit with banks to finance their business. In number of cases bogus transaction were arranged with some overseas Company in Hong Kong and banks were asked to open LCs, and after discounting LCs of high values both companies disappeared. Other way of performing was, there agent will tell the victim that they were representing for a foreign company can ship goods to them at very low cost. They would ask the victim to arrange LC from their bank. Their agent will go to bank discount the bill then typically disappear in foreign, and victim will receive nothing or vastly inferior goods.

They even cheated other trade finance companies. In one case they lured an unwary customer in Kenya to buy goods from him at very attractive . Then they requested a finance Company in Hong Kong to open a LC on their behalf, and they opened an in the name of supplier and submitted false documents in negotiating bank and draw the money. The buyer and his bank discovered that goods not existed. The majority of clients who came to Sunny's office were people who had long since surrendered to prevailing system. He didn't feel superior to them. He certainly could not hold himself up as a shining example of success, and yet he knew there was one big difference between him and his clients; he would never give up. A few of the clients who came to his office were different in a way that puzzled him. They were well dressed, with an air of affluence about them, and the cases brought to him were not the nickel-and-dime cases. Sunny was not accustomed to handle them and their proposals amounted to substantial sums of money. Any bank would have been delighted to sanction. Sunny wondered how his clients knew about his company. There was no ment, no telemarketing, and no marketing efforts. The replies he usually got were always evasive. From a friend of me..........from a bank.......your name was mentioned in a party... It was not until one of his clients, in the course of explaining his problem, mentioned the name of Imran and Sunny suddenly understood. 'Imran sent you to me, didn't he?' asked Sunny. The client was embarrassed. 'Well as a matter of fact, he suggested it might be better if I didn't mention his name.' Sunny decided to telephone Imran. After all, he did owe him a debt of thanks. He should be polite and formal, he thought. Naturally, he should not let him get the impression that he was calling him for any reason other than to express his appreciation. He rehearsed and finally got up enough nerve he telephone in his office, an assistant informed him that Imran was out of country and was not expected back for several weeks. It was an anticlimax that left Sunny depressed. Imran didn't want to involve in his business. Nothing was in Imran's name and in case of trouble he will have no connection with him. And till everything moved

smoothly he will have big junk of every profit earned by him. Sunny found himself thinking of Imran more and more often. He kept ing the evening he had gone to his office, and how he cunningly treated him coolly and involve him in his trap. Now, in addition to everything else he had done for him, he was sending him clients, 'Perhaps he is more poisonous than MD, who at least had the Company in his name,' thought Sunny. Sunny waited three weeks and then again telephoned Imran's office. This time he was in South Africa. 'Is there any message?' his assistant asked. Sunny hesitated. 'No message.' Sunny tried to put Imran out of his mind, but it was impossible.

Another day in his farm house Imran Khan was saying, 'We've got a problem.' He looked like a shrunken caricature of man. He was talking in a hoarse and raspy voice. The paralysis had affected the left side of his face so that when he spoke, saliva dropped from the corners of his mouth. He was old and almost senile, and he leaned more and more on Imran's judgment. Imran was like a son to him. He himself had trained Imran. Imran was fast and smart. And he was honest. Imran Khan had now reluctantly come to accept Sunny. They were seated in the large, comfortable study room. In the room were Sunny, Zarina and other of organization. Imran had unhurried, undulating movements. He was easeful with never hurry and never worry attitude. The conflict between Imran and other senior of organization had grown stronger. They knew it was Imran's intention to replace them with Sunny. How could Imran bring in a stranger- worse, a young man- and trust him with their life-and-death secrets? It was untenable situation. Most of them decided they would have to bide his time, and they would find a way to get rid of him. Sunny was aware of their feelings. He had replaced them,

and their pride would not let them forgive him for that. Their loyalty to the organization would keep them in live and protect him, but if their hatred for him becomes stronger than their loyalty was likely to become doubtful. Imran made his decisions solely based on what was expedient for the organization, and when it came to business, Imran had a total lack of empathy and it was his strong point. In the past he had been completely dedicated to fulfilling his ambitions. There was no emotional attachment with anybody. Neither Saira nor Zarina had ever been a part of his real needs. Sunny was different. What made Sunny special was his intelligence, his independence. Saira and Zarina obeyed him. Others feared him. But Sunny challenged him. He was equal. He had could talk to him, discuss things with him freely. He was more than intelligent. He was Smart. Sunny knew that Imran or Imran Khan will never let him go.

After a fortnight Imran Khan died and Imran took over full control of his empire. The funeral was lavish, as befitted a man of the Godfather's stature. The heads and member of organization from all over the country came to pay their respects to their departed God man, and to assure the new incumbent of their loyalty and . Zarina was heartbroken, because she had loved her father very much. Sunny was proving more valuable to Imran every day. When there was a problem, it was Sunny who Imran consulted. Others were becoming increasingly bothersome appendage. Sunny had little personal life. He was at his office, seven days a week, from early morning until late in night, reading everything he could find about the financial crimes. He studied hundreds of fraud cases, briefs, exhibits and transcripts. Zarina was quite friendly, and a real help. He was gathering all information about Imran through Zarina, even the most confidential, including his bank's in India and abroad. She had access to all these. For his day meal Sunny usually grabbed a quick sandwich with tea, and he was beginning to lose weight and he had dizzy spells. Zarina was becoming concerned about him. One day she ordered a large lunch for him in the office. 'Are you trying to kill yourself?' she demanded.

'Of- course not,' replied Sunny. 'Have you looked in a mirror lately?' 'No.' Gradually, Sunny came to know Zarina better than anyone had ever known her. She exposed feeling to him that she had never revealed to anyone else. She was basically a lovely, solitary young woman, and Sunny was the first person who had ever been able to penetrate her shell. Sunny felt that Zarina needed him, and Zarina had forced him to it how much he needed her. She had brought out feelings in him that he kept suppressed wild ions that he had been afraid to let loose There were on inhibition with Zarina. Sunny found Zarina's live fascinating. She had lot of money to spend all the time, but she was always careful how spent it, lest she attract the attention of Income tax authorities. She never owned a very expensive dress or car, and her self- created protocol was as stringent as that at army. The organization was incredible money making machine, but Sunny became aware that there was another element in it that was equally important; power. Zarina once told Sunny. 'We gross more than a half dozen of largest companies in Delhi, put together. Delhi is prosperous, wide open city. It is a city with price, and those who know their way around could buy anything they like, including politicians.' 'There is difference,' Sunny pointed out. They're legitimate businesses and--------------' Zarina laughed. 'You mean the ones that haven't been caught. Dozens of the country's biggest companies have been indicted for violating one law one or other. Don't kid yourself about heroes, Sunny.' 'Have you ever thought of going into a legitimate business? Sunny asked. 'You'd probably be very successful.' Zarina looked shocked. 'What! And give up all this? You must be joking?' 'Have you always been in this fraud business?' asked Sunny.

'I'm always been an entrepreneur,' she said reprovingly. 'How did you become an entrepreneur?' 'When I was seventeen I ed an Ashram, at age of twenty I ed politics.' 'Wow, what a combination.' Sunny exclaimed and looked at her to see what lay beneath the sophisticated, charming veneer. 'Yes, both were good for me. I learned a lot from them. I think Babas and politicians are biggest cons of all, compared to them, we are just amateurs. In fact both are same thing. Politicians and Babas both cheat people in pretext of some fantasy. In both cases they conceal their real intentions. They do all dirty work but keep their hands clean. They keep everything simple, play on people's need to believe, and create a cult like following. Keep people in vague, create new words for vague concepts, create rituals, and emphasize the visual and sensual over the intellectuals. They speak straight from head to heart; keep followers united by identifying others as a devious enemy. The tendency to doubt and reason is broken down when you either of them. They both play with people's fantasy, and people follow them to escape from realities of everyday life. They both always promise a bowl of gold and instant gratification, rather than a gradual improvement through hard work. And they keep distance with them so the fantasy remains intact.' Sunny looked at her, top to bottom, and bottom to top. He quite slowly said. 'I'm guessing you were never in prison.' She said. 'Only because they're not smart enough to catch me.' Sunny smiled and said. 'I believe you.' She looked at him and then gave a blank-eyed look at him.

Sunny and Zarina was good friend, and there was no hesitation between them. They walked around in city in late night. Sunny realized that in her own way Zarina was equally as dedicated to their work as Sandra was. The difference was that their lives had gone in opposite ways.

Another day Zarina told Sunny that she was writing a book on face values; the surface image rather than basic values. 'As a young girl, I realize that what people said was not always what they meant or felt. Soon I could say how people would response or what they likely to say, and when someone say something what exactly it means to say. This curiosity has given me opportunity to meet people and study them at close range to judge them. When I meet people I can quickly make judgments about their intensions, friendliness, and dominance by their body language. It is possible to get others to do what we want if we can read their real feelings and respond appropriately to their needs. Body language is an outward reflection of a person's emotional condition. Each gesture or movement is a valuable key to judge emotion a person may be feeling at the time.' She paused for a while and then again said, 'You know when we say that we have an intuition that someone has told us a lie, we usually mean that his body language and his spoken words don't agree. Overall, women are far more intuitive than men. Women have an innate ability to pick up and decipher nonverbal signals, and have an accurate eye for small details. When a person's words and body language are in conflict, we ignore what he said. 'What do you think about me?' asked Sunny. 'I've seen you most time hiding your hands in pocket. Do you know what it means?' 'No, I think its habit now,' said Sunny. 'No because you have something to hide from me. Isn't it true?' 'No, I've nothing to hide from you,' and Sunny laughed at her question. 'That's better you look pretty good when you laugh like that. Things happen, Sunny, things that you can't control. None of us controls over own destiny. I've learned the hard way, that life is just an illusion. Why make beautiful plans only to see them collapse into pain and death, and dust. I know you are an excellent man, innocent, don't like manipulating business, hard working, smart--------' 'I think now you are flattering me.' 'No, I'm serious Sunny. I think I'm in love with you.'

Sunny knew that he had a quality that was attractive to women; it was deep in his conscious. He had never tried to analyze it, because it was more of a handicap than an asset to him. He was deeply in love with Sandra, and it had made his life difficult in past. Watching her sad brown eyes, Sunny felt an urge to hug her, to comfort her, to make everything all right.

Next day Sunny called Zarina, and she came to office to meet Sunny. 'I really enjoyed working with you, you know,' Sunny said. He wasn't sure what else to say, and still not sure why he'd called. 'You stole my lines. That's what I came to tell you,' said Zarina. 'I was very apprehensive about handling few cases. And you made me glad I decided to go through with these.' 'Well, wait until you see it all gets sanctioned. I hope you like it as much then,' said Zarina 'I know I will. I'm grateful for your faith in me.' And she truly was, but there was something more to what she felt as well, and she wasn't quite sure that it was. 'It's not just a matter of that, Zarina I.......' He didn't quite know how to put his feelings into words, and suddenly wondered if he should have called her. She was a woman and daughter of top boss, rich and pretty. 'I just like you a hell of a lot.' He felt as awkward as sixteen--year-old boy and they both smiled. 'I like you too,' she said. 'It's just simple as that, and there was no harm telling it. Why are you fighting so hard against what you feel? I also like working with you, meeting with you, listening to your story, and talking about your girlfriend. And I think I'm especially touched that you let me into your private life.' 'I think I felt safe doing that with you. I don't plan it that way. In fact I told myself before you came that I wasn't going to tell you anything personal about myself..........or Sandra.....' his voice grew very soft.

Zarina was quick to respond. 'I'm glad you did, Sunny.' 'So am I,' said Sunny. 'Thank you, Sunny.' She liked what he had said. The trouble was that she liked too much about him. And then she heard him sigh softly at the other end, and she laughed softly. 'The show must go on. And at six o' clock I have another meeting,' said Zarina. 'I hope I didn't interrupt,' Sunny sounded contrite. 'No not at all. You know, it's kind of nice knowing someone who works as hard as I do.' And he felt odd as she said the words. He had thought the same thing about her from the first day. Things of past had been long buried deep in his subconscious. It took three sleepless nights for Sunny to make his decision to face Sandra. After collecting his salary and his share of money from Imran's office, Sunny went to a jeweler shop to buy some gift for Sandra. He had no idea of jeweler, and when he saw a ring in a jeweler show room in Karol Bagh, he decided to buy it. Zarina was a good friend; she was a few years older that he was. They would sometimes spend an entire day together. She had known they wouldn't be together forever. Once she told him, 'I could give you what you are looking for, but I don't know what it is. There is a part of you that you keep closed off from everyone, including me. It's as if I'm not the one you're really with your mind is on someone else.' He tried to deny it, but she didn't believe him. 'I'm a woman-I know these things, when you look at me sometimes, I know you're seeing someone else. It's like you keep waiting for her to pop out of me to take you away from all this--------' Sunny laughed out aloud. And on Zarina's insistence he told her his story, and said I want to go Bombay to meet Sandra. She assured him as and when he required. 'I wonder how Sandra will react when she know about my present job? And how

I'll tell her that I had bad luck and hard time, and I tried to turn around, but time was spinning its wheel,' said Sunny. 'In case she also loves you intensely, these things don't matter much,' replied Zarina.

Another day Zarina told her story. She married happily before seven years. She was happy with her husband, within a year she conceived and had a baby son. Her husband disappeared after two years of marriage. May be he migrated to some other country, get killed in group rivalry in the organization, or married to some other girl and abandoned her. Her son now six years old was studying at Nainital in a prestigious school. It was one of the many reasons why she had never been tempted to marry again. She wasn't sure she could live up to the demands of raising her son any more after her second marriage. 'I appreciate what you do. But isn't it difficult not to have someone with you?' asked Sunny. 'I never really felt that way, as long as I've done well at my work, I've been alone and more or less, I think it's easier like this.' 'Yes,'- but he didn't sound convinced. 'But then there's no one to share the victories with.' 'I guess that's true. I don't know the answer myself. I just know it is good talking to someone, who understands what it is like to be. There had been times over the years when I thought I couldn't pull it off, but I had, and I had done well. 'You've done a good job, Zarina. I appreciate,' said Sunny. 'Would you like to visit my shop at weekend?' asked Zarina suddenly. 'Yes, I'll do,' said Sunny willingly.

14

In Bombay it had been a hot day and there seemed to be thunder in air, still it was oppressively warm. Sharp at 8:05 Sandra stepped out of the lobby of her home into a down market street in her self-driven car, as she did every weekday morning. She was on her way to work in a bank, and her routine never varied except on every Sunday and holidays. After parking her car her pace became brisk as she glanced at her watch, it was 8:50. The bank's staffs were entering the office. She enjoyed watching the morning ritual and promptly at 8:55 a. m. she entered the ornate lobby of bank with her fellow workers, and listened with secret amusement to others complaining about the weather of Bombay. She smiled at them and went to work. The bank had a large advances division, and Sandra was Deputy Manager attached to loan department, and she was in-charge of non-fund based advances in bank. Until recently, the transfer of LCs (Letters of Credit) and BG (Bank Guarantees) from one bank to another had been a slow, laborious process, requiring multiple forms to be filled out and dependent on national and international postal services. With the advent of computers, the situation had changed dramatically, and enormous amounts business transactions could be done instantaneously. Every day a good number of LCs were issued and received by her bank through SWIFT. Sandra's job was to extract overnight LCs and scrutinize them, and to make transfer to other banks. All transactions of bank were made full proof to prevent any unauthorized access. Everyday good number of LCs ed through Sandra's hand. It was fascinating work, the life blood that fed the arteries of business all over the world. That day after lunch Sandra and her fellow workers had discussed morning's activities. It was heady conversations when, Nagrajan, the head of division in bank announced, 'We just closed the five hundred crores syndicated loan to set up a cyber-city.' And then he said in a confidential tone, 'At board meeting this morning they decided to discount a bank guarantee of a European Bank for ten million dollars.'

It was the subject on which Sandra and Nagrajan had had their first argument. It was a general staff meeting, when Nagrajan was speaking to staff, and was praising some of bank's client about their entrepreneurship and their high value dealing with bank. Sandra tried to explain the manipulations done by clients to get bank loans. But her suggestions were either given little attention or were rejected outright. She realized Nagrajan had his personal considerations in sanction of such loans.

With ing time the defaults of loans in bank had increased enormously, and it was obvious that organized crime was behind it. There was uproar in bank over financial losses, and soon a committee was formed to investigate the matter and Sandra was asked to coordinate with them. Investigating committee was made of various banks' high officials and others from various law enforcing agencies. Fraudsters had invented many techniques of deceiving bank. In some cases exporters had presented credible shipping documents to the bank, but no goods were actually been shipped. And seller had fled far away to be prosecuted. In other case exporter shipped complete rubbish, loading container with sand, bricks, and rubbish. Shipping documents were made, 'said to contain,' basis, specifies the goods the buyer expected to receive. The seller obtained the payment from bank and disappeared before the cargo reaches the destination. In another case cargo ship was not existing, and when the bank claimed the compensation from insurer, the insurer declines to pay as the goods never existed which were insured. In a case where bank had issued a Letter of credit, the importer had obtained a non negotiable copy of bill of lading from overseas supplier to know the vessel carrying the cargo. He prepared a false 'original' bill of lading and presented it to the shipping agent. When the vessel arrives at discharge port he obtained a delivery order which was used to clear the cargo out of port. The importer then disappeared with goods, leaving the bank with liability to pay the seller. Many advances were given against foreign LCs for export, but goods never left the shore. Then there were huge losses in discounting LC bills, where document were discrepant. In other case an overseas buyer placed an order to Indian seller and requested to settle payment by LC. A legitimate LC was sent to the seller.

Seller handed over goods to the transportation company as required by buyer. However the transport company was in fact a party to buyer, which provided incorrect information to the shipping companies on bill of lading. Although the goods finally reached the destination country, the seller failed to get payment because incorrect Bill of Lading. In many cases traders had used L/C for obtaining cash flow using their existing credit facility at bank, without there being a genuine underlying transaction. By honoring a LC, the fraudster had improved their cash flow at comparatively low interest. Because the underlying transaction was false, both the seller and buyer had committed an offence, even though the loan was fully settled in the future. Another observation was of money laundering. Fraudsters had used bank loan given for export used for purchasing properties or valuable goods. Next they perform various financial transactions so as to mask the origin of the money. Once the money become 'Clean,' they would draw the 'Clean' money from different sources, putting it together and preparing it for use. A massive fraud was detected in the form of discounting LC bills in local market, and the bank had incurred losses in crores, because these bills were used to obtain unsecured loans from the banks. The phenomenon was peculiar as it was detected in local market. In a case a manufacturer in Bombay had bought goods from a trader in Thane. The buyer purchased goods under usance L/C for 90days. It was revealed subsequently the both buyer and seller was same client under different identities. In most cases bank manager had himself asked the companies to sell its goods against usance LCs, and relative bills were discounted by bank. Once the client had tested the blood, it was only a small step to virtually draw large sums of money from the bank, and take bets in share market and any other profitable business in short term. These transactions were started initially for genuine funds, but soon they were used for financing fictitious trade transactions to raise money at low rates. In most cases local bank opened such Usance LCs and private or foreign banks were discounting banks. In other case a bank discounted bills under inland usance LC and no goods were sold and bought. And buyer and seller belonged to the same group of Company. The group was enjoying bank credit on an unsecured basis. This practice was continued in bank from a long time. Subsequently it was revealed that LC itself

was forged, and bank incurred heavy loss. In one case an exporter was cheated for thirty five thousand dollar by promising a corporate loan guarantee or standby letter of credit for one million dollar from one Bank of Cyprus. They promised him to get immediate release of loan of 85% of bank guarantee value from reputed banks like Barclays or Deutsche Bank. Sandra was proving more valuable to investigation every day. When there was a problem it was Sandra whom they consulted. Banks were more vigilant now, and within three months the frauds cases had slowed to a trickle.

The weekend turned out to be fascinating for Sunny. He went to Zarina's antique shop in Greater Kailash. It was a beautiful curio shop and she was dressed a deep maroon sari shot with golden threads, and most beautiful jewels Sunny had ever seen. 'I'm happy, you came to me,' said Zarina rising from her seat and embraced him as if she was meeting with some relative or old friend. Sunny walked inside the shop. 'These are amazing collections,' Sunny said looking at number of strange collections in the shop. And when he saw a double edged dagger with black handle and a flame like blade in the display, he curiously asked her what it was. She explained it was a ritual knife used in Wiccan practices. Sunny ed once Sandra had talked about Wicca, and his curiosity increased. He took the dagger in his hand, and again asked, 'What is Wicca?' 'It was previously known as witchcraft,' she said. 'The word Wicca was developed in England during first half of 20th century and it was introduced by a retired British Civil Servant in 1954,' and she showed him small statues of horned God and mother Goddess, and then said, 'Many Wiccans believe in magic, a force they see as being capable of manipulation through the practice of witchcraft.' 'Is it a sort of black magic?' asked Sunny.

'No, Wicca is a very peaceful, harmonious and balanced way of life which promotes oneness with divine. They don't worship Satan or consort with demons as generally believed by many people. They don't sacrifice animals or human, and one who does and claims to be a Wiccan is lying.' Then she said; 'Black magic has traditionally referred to the use of supernatural powers or magic for evil purposes. With respect to the philosophy of left-hand and right-hand path black magic is the malicious counter part of benevolent Wicca. Do you know voodoo?' asked Zarina. 'No.' Zarina showed him a voodoo doll from her display and said, 'It has been associated with black magic in many popular culture and fiction. Hexing and cursing are accepted in black magic practices, but it has nothing to do with Wiccan practices.' Sunny listened to her intently, and Zarina said, 'Wiccan cast spells or working during ritual practices, often held inside a sacred circle, in an attempt to bring about real changes in the physical world. Common Wiccan spells includes those used for healing, protection, or to banish negative influences. There are many rituals within Wicca that are used for worshipping the deities. Often these takes place on a full moon or in some cases a new moon night.' Then she showed a pendent with five stars, used as a symbol of Wicca by many adherents. She explained that the five elements of a pentagram are Air, Water, Earth, Fire, and Spirit which unites the other four. 'Do you practice Wicca?' asked Sunny. 'I'm just an apprentice,' she said and then asked. 'Do you know what is Feng Shui?' 'I'm afraid I don't know much about it,' replied Sunny. 'The term Feng Shui literally translates as wind-water in English. It is an ancient art and science developed over 3000 years ago in China. It is a complex body of knowledge that reveals how to balance the energies of any space to assure health and good fortune for people inhabiting it.'

Then she explained him the theory of Yin and Yang. She gave him a book written by Lillian Too to read him and small statue of Laughing Buddha, and a wind chime for good luck. She showed him various amulets, lucky coins, pendants, jewels, brass tortoise, three legged frog and mandarin ducks kept in her shop for sale. 'None of these makes any sense to me. My faith doesn't permit me anything like this. One Kada (bracelet) in my hand is enough, instead of all these jugglery,' Sunny said. Zarina showed him a ring with a beautiful stone carved on it, and said, 'It's a Lava stone. You know it has a long history of healing and curative power. It is made from molten lava and it denotes strength, courage and will power. Sunny was reluctant to accept all these, but Zarina insisted. 'Ok, I'll have dagger, not all these thing,' Sunny said finally. 'Fine, as you wish. I'll pray for you and send positive spells, I promise,' she said with a smile. 'Sunny, if you don't mind can I ask you a personal question?' 'Yes.' 'If you feel so strongly about Sandra, why don't you go to Bombay and meet her.' 'I'm afraid to face ghost over there,' he itted. 'Whose, ghost?' 'My ghost!'

Zarina had an air of lively intelligence and classical beauty, and warmth in her eyes. And there was something beyond her beauty that caught Sunny. There was a palpable force that pulled him to her, some unexplainable reaction that made him feel as though emotions long since dead had suddenly surfaced again. One day Zarina asked him what his problem was. He hesitated and said that he

was not certain. He was not even sure he had any. Outward he appeared to be under some stress, but he was perfectly normal, and he was certain that his problem is relatively simple one, can be easily solved. 'I was emotionally exhausted, I had taken past harder. And it is like a motion picture that I run over and over in my mind. I blamed myself for entire misfortune. My thought has become an obsession. I hate myself, and avoid everyone as much as possible,' said Sunny. She smiled up at him. 'Sunny, I want you to make me a promise,' said Zarina. 'What kind of promise?' Sunny asked warily. 'You will make a deep analysis and start to attack the root of the problem.' Sunny's eye lit up. 'Yes, you're right,' he said. 'I'll try, I promise.' 'Why don't you go home and get some rest?' 'I can't,' Sunny whispered his voice filled with despair. She held out her hand and he took it. She had a warm firm handclasp. He felt again that compelling current that ran between them and marveled that she felt nothing. 'I'll see you tomorrow,' she said. Sunny watched her walking out the office, and then he sank into his chair. He had never felt so completely alone in his life. He tried to concentrate, but his thoughts kept drifting away, trying to find answers to what had happened to him. Sunny sat there a long time, his mind slowly shifting the events of the past. Finally, he sighed and gave it up. He looks at the watch and was startled to see how late it was.

At nine o' clock when Sunny came out of the office and went to a bar, and poured himself a stiff scotch. It hit him with a jolt and he came out. As Sunny stepped into the street, a blast of cold wind hit him. It had started to rain. The rain water swirled through the sky, gently blurring everything so that it looked as

though the city had been painted on a canvas that had not dried and the paints were running, melting down high rising building and streets into watery grays and whites. A large blue-and--white sign in a restaurant window across the street displayed Kaka's Dhaba, and he suddenly ed that he had not had any lunch or dinner. The thought of food made him ill. He resolutely turned his thoughts away from it and started to walk. The street was deserted except for a lone pedestrian in the distance, hurrying home. Sunny found himself wondering what Sandra was doing at this moment. She was probably at home with her husband discussing his day at the office, interested and caring. Or they had gone to bed, and....... 'Stop it!' he told himself. There were no cars on the windswept street, so just before he reached the corner Sunny began to cross at an angle, heading towards the inner circle. As he reached the middle of the lane, he heard a noise behind him, and turned. A large black car without lights was coming towards him, its tires fighting for traction in the rain water. It was less ten feet away. 'A drunken fool,' thought Sunny. 'He's in a skid and he's going to make an accident.' Sunny turned and leaped towards a side for safety. The front of the car swerved toward him, the car accelerating. Too late Sunny realized the car was deliberately trying to run him down. The last thing he ed was something hard hit him and a loud crash that sounded like thunder. The dark street suddenly lit up with bright lights that seemed to explode in his head. In that split second of illumination, Sunny suddenly knew the answer to everything. He knew why he was hit. He felt a sense of wild elation. Then the light faded, and there was only the silence of the wet darkness.

Sandra woke up from a horrible dream. She saw the dead body of Sunny in her dream, and now she was screaming hysterically. She was trembling so hard that could barely stand. In dream she wanted to go near his body, but somebody grabbed her arm and pushed her back. 'You shouldn't look at him,' it was telling her.

'Let go to me!' she was screaming. She shook loose from his grasp and started towards the body of Sunny. Sandra tried but couldn't sleep again. She took a sedative pill. An hour later Sandra was still awake, she took another sedative, and then a third. She closed her eyes and thought about Sunny. She felt a chill go through her. She laid still, her eyes tightly closed. 'That was a part of my nightmare. I'm asleep, and when I wake up, Sunny will be alive, and he will be with me,' she repeated and tried to convince herself. But when she could stand it no longer, she opened her eyes and started staring at the ceiling. Finally reluctantly, she forced herself to get out of bed. She felt drugged. She walked into Nancy's bed. She was sleeping peacefully. 'I wish I could cry.' Sandra thought. 'Oh, I wish I could cry.' She sat on the edge of Nancy's bed, watching her innocent face. She sat there, stiff and rigid. Time was spinning by, mocking her emptiness. Her life was like a runway train over which she had no control.

Finally Sunny opened his eyes. The room was bright. At first he just saw strange lights, until a figure appeared in his middle of vision. He tried to focus his gaze, but the figure kept slipping away. The sharp smell of medicinal alcohol hung in the air, and somewhere a machine pinged in quite rhythm with his heart. He felt as if he had a strong hangover, and the bed seemed to keep tilting backwards. Sunny tried to move his right arm, but a sharp pain restrained him. He looked down some machine was tugging to the skin of his forearm. His pulse quickened, and the machine kept pace, pinging more rapidly. The back of Sunny's head throbbed, a gnawing pain. Gingerly, he reached up with his free hand and touched his scalp, trying to locate the source of his headache. Beneath his matted hair, he found the hard nubs of a dozen or so stitches caked with dried blood. He closed his eyes trying to an accident. Nothing, a total blankness, only darkness came. He felt exhausted, could hardly get his thoughts in order. Then memories came rushing back to him. After a while he opened his eyes. At

first nothing came into focus. What his brain ed resembled a large white canvas on which black and gray paint had been poured to form a cloggy, mind altering mud. After a few anxious moments, he was able to see the outline of the hospital room in all its stark white chrome and sharp angles. As he tried to sit up, a hand planted itself firmly against his shoulder. A nurse came hurried in, apparently alerted by Sunny's racing heart monitor. She had gentle eyes that radiated a thoughtful calm beneath her dark eye brows. 'What happened?' Sunny whispered. 'Did I have an accident?' The nurse put a finger to her lips and then rushed out calling for doctor down the hall. Sunny turned his head, but the movement sent a spike of pain radiating through his chest. He took deep breath and let the pain . Then very gently and methodically he surveyed his sterile surroundings. The hospital room had a single bed. Sunny saw his clothes on a nearby counter folded inside a transparent bag. They were covered with blood. 'My God, it must have been very bad,' he again whispered. Sunny rotated his head very slowly towards a window besides his bed. It was dark outside, must be night time he thought. All he could see in the glass was his own reflection. And then he saw Sandra standing at the window, her back to him. She breathed on the window, using her finger to write words on the fogged glass. He tried to speak to her, but he couldn't make any sound. He looked past her and tried to read the word. She must have been telling him something important. Sandra had come to find him, how he was. He blinked again and looked at window. Sandra was gone, but her name was written over glass. Yes, it was Sandra, he could see it clearly. It was a dream or not, he saw the name on the glass pan.

Then his memory returned he was in hospital bed. He blinked again twice and began to cry, and wondered if he'll ever be okay. He was no longer afraid to die, but to live. He wanted to ask her, how she was, and if he was critical. At this moment voices approached in the hall, and Sunny turned his gaze back towards the room. The nurse returned now accompanied by a doctor.

'I'm Dr. Khurana,' he said, giving Sunny a smile as he entered. Sunny nodded weakly. 'Have you any pain in your body?' asked doctor taking Sunny's wrist and checking the pulse. 'My head and back..........,' replied Sunny wincing in pain and closed his eyes. Doctor's expression remained neutral as he made notes on a clip board. 'Can you open your eyes again? Any idea how the accident happened?' asked the doctor. Sunny opened his eyes and tried to memorize every detail, then shook his head. 'Can you tell me your name?' asked Doctor. 'Sunny,' he said slowly. 'Okay,' Doctor said. 'Is there someone we should call for you?' 'Yes, Zarina Imran Khan. Please call her,' said Sunny and then gave her mobile number. Doctor was pleased with the response he had gotten. He wrote down his wake up time 11.07 p.m., about ten hours after he had finished the operation.

When her phone rang, Zarina answered it. It was a nurse who had a hit-and-run patient at the hospital. The patient was asking for her number. When she gave Zarina the name of the patient, she told the nurse that she would be right over there. When Zarina arrived at the hospital nurse was waiting for her. 'What happened? 'A car hit him at Connaught Place,' said nurse. 'How bad is it? Is he badly hurt? What's the condition of patient?' asked Zarina.

'The doctor will have to tell you that,' she said primly, and she continued walking. 'It's a miracle, the man wasn't killed. He has some bruised ribs, and an injured arm,' said nurse. 'Is he conscious?' asked Zarina. 'He's heavily sedated, but he's conscious. We had a terrible time keeping him in bed.' She said and then turned to Zarina. 'He kept saying he has to see you.' Sunny's room was on the third floor at the end of a long corridor that had the sickly-sweet smell. Zarina walked over to it and stepped behind the curtain. Sunny was lying on a bed, propped up with two tubes feeding liquid in to his body. His face was pale and there was a large adhesive plaster on his forehead. His right arm was in a sling. 'Uh-uh, not so fast Sunny you're hurt,' Zarina sighed. 'But you're going to be alright.' Sunny looked up into her face. The smile did not entirely hide the worry line around her eyes. Her sigh of relief was clearly audible. 'Where am I?' Sunny asked. 'In the hospital, you were hurt by a ing vehicle.' 'Sunny again tried to the incident, and then said, 'it wasn't an accident, someone tried to kill me.' His voice was weak and shaky. 'Who?' 'I don't know, but it all fit's in.' He turned a little bit and said. 'The killer was hired, and I knew who is behind him.' Zarina looked at him in surprise. 'What makes you think so?' 'I think somebody in the organization, who doesn't like my closeness with Imran, and meeting you. It was no accident.' 'According to police report, you were walking in the middle of lane.' Sunny stared at her and then said. 'There were no cars so I-------.'

'It was also possible, that it was raining and visibility was low. You were drunk, and suddenly you stepped out of nowhere in middle of road. The driver put on his brakes, went in a skid, and hit you. Then he panicked and drove away.' 'That's not the way it happened and his headlights were off. Someone tried to kill me,' repeated Sunny insistently. Car accidents happen every day. How many of them happened around the world every day? He did not know the exact statistics, but it was many certainly. The cynic in him suspected that a small but significant number of these accidents were in fact carried out by the criminals of various countries. Nobody would examine in details of accident. It was pathetically easy to kill people like that. His head began pounding again. The pain was returning. He swallowed to fight off nausea that engulfed him, and he was soon drifted back to sleep.

On her way from her office next day Sandra was driving back to her home. Traffic was heavy at Mahim and her car was crawling steadily till it stopped to a complete halt. She looked around and then in a side lane, she had come once before and knew it will catch her way at a distance. She turned and drove her car until she saw a church's sign reading, 'Ask and it shall be given to you.' She parked her car in the side and entered the church. She sat on the pew and then she did something she hadn't done since long. She prayed. Tears poured down her face as she spoke to God, telling him how much she missed Sunny, how much she loves him, and how much she wanted him to be with her. She prayed and spoke silently until her heart was nearly bursting. After a week Sunny started recovering. It was slow and painful recovery. Zarina was regularly visiting him, and she specially took interest in his diet. 'Whoever's tried to kill you is going to try again,' said Zarina. 'I can give you some advice. Have new locks put on doors of your apartment, and check the windows to make sure they're securely bolted. Don't let anyone in the apartment unless you know them. No delivery man unless, you've ordered the delivery yourself.' Sunny listened to her. He nodded his throat dry and aching.

'Your building has a doorman and an elevator man,' continued Zarina. 'Can you trust them?' 'The doorman and elevator operator have been there from a long time. They're trusted men.' Zarina nodded approvingly. 'Good, ask them to keep their eyes open. If they're on alert, it's going to be hard for anyone to sneak up to your apartment. In office I can send a trusted guard. You don't worry about that.' Soon Zarina left. Sunny was alone again. He thought, 'could the hit-and-run have been an accident? There had been rain on the street, and the car could have accidently skidded into him. But then, why had the headlights been off? And where had the car come from so suddenly?' He was convinced now that an assassin had struck, and would strike again with that thought, he fell asleep.

Next day Zarina came again. She was normally a pleasant, easy going person, but at the moment there was a grim expression on her face. 'Well, how you are feeling? You look better.' 'I feel better,' he lied. 'I want you to get out of here,' said Zarina. 'When?' 'Now only.' Sunny looked at her reprovingly and shook his head. Twenty minutes later a taxi was called for him. He was shifted to another hospital in an hour.

In the Gurgaon farmhouse, Imran was in a serious meeting with of organization. Room was crowded with ghosts. Zarina was sitting next to Imran,

and he was dangerously quiet. A member of organization was speaking. 'All I'm saying is that I think Sunny is a mistake. I accept he's smart, but I'm warning you, before he's through he could send us all away. If CBI came for investigation, how long would this boy would stand up to them before he cracked? He knows more about the business that we all could ever know.' 'I don't know how things are getting leaked from the organization?' said another member. 'Send Sunny away for a while, until this investigation cools down. He's a young man, if they start putting pressure on him, he'll talk,' said third member. Imran studied them and made his decision. 'All right, may be you've got a point there, Sunny may not be dangerous, but on the other hand, if he's not with us a hundred percent, why take unnecessary chances?' 'That's all I'm suggesting. You're doing the wise thing,' said the first man. 'I know,' Imran turned to the kitchen and yelled out. 'Wasim.' A moment later Wasim appeared. 'Tonight drive a guest of mine to Noida, will you?' 'Sure, boss.' 'On the way I want you to stop and deliver a packet for me,' Imran said. 'I hope you don't mind?' 'Not, at all. Boss,' he was flushed with a smile. 'Come upstairs,' said Imran. Wasim followed Imran up to his bedroom and when they were inside, Imran closed the door. 'I would like you make a stop before you get close of Noida.' 'Sure, boss.'

'I want you to drop off the garbage.' Wasim looked puzzled. 'The packet, I told you.' Imran explained. 'Oh, okay whatever you say.' 'Take him out to the dump. There won't be anyone around at this time of night.'

Fifteen minutes later a Sumo headed for south Delhi. Wasim was at the wheel, and other man in the enger seat, beside him. 'I'm glad Imran decided to sideline that smarty,' said the other man. Wasim's mind was in turmoil. Killing was a part of his job and it was a part he enjoyed most, because of the sense of power it gave him. He felt like God when he killed; he was omnipotent. But tonight, he was bothered. He could not understand why he had even ordered to blow away Sunny. Sunny had done no harm to organization, and he had no enmity with anyone in the organization. Next to Imran Sunny was the most important man in the organization. The house was a short distance ahead. Wasim could feel perspiration popping out under his arms. He glanced over other man, and his nerves began to tighten, just as they always did before a hit. He pressed his left arm against his side and felt the reassuring bulk of the short-barreled .32 Smith & Wesson nesting there. 'Watch it. You're going off the road!' said the other man. 'Sorry.' and he quickly steered the sumo back into the lane. The sumo was nearing Sunny's apartment now. Wasim checked the rear view mirror and scanned the road ahead. There was nobody in sight. He brought the sumo to a stop, opened the door and stepped out onto the road. He slipped the gun out of its hostler and held it on other side. And after reaching Sunny's apartment, Wasim rang a bell and waited. There was no response. After a while he pressed the button again at call bell. Still there was no response. He forced open the door. His one kick by shoulder was enough to break the lock. It was three o'clock in the morning, last part of his bed time. There was nobody in the apartment.

Sunny had received a SMS reading 'Leave city immediately go anywhere and don't call me back.' Sunny checked the number it was from Zarina. Zarina had the premonition of danger from long time, and with the hot discussion in meeting she could assess the danger to Sunny. It was almost five 'o clock in evening when she sends a SMS. She was good as her word, and she made sure Sunny was at a safe place before an attack on him.

15

Zarina left her shop and headed home. Even at eleven p.m. there was life in the nation's capital, but once she got off the ring road, and rode through the streets she grew drowsy. The red and blue lights flashing her rearview mirror jolted her to alertness. She was in straightway not a half kilometer from her home. She pulled off the road and waited. It was police jeep. Her hand slid to glove box where her car's paper and her driving license were kept. She was worried that she'd dozed off or driving erratically because she was so tired. She saw two men coming towards her car. Not in uniform, but in casuals. Each man about six feet tall with an athletic build, clean-shaven, and short hair. 'Delhi police,' said a man and showed her his identity card. Zarina stared at the card. 'I don't understand what this is about, officer.' 'We need you to come with us.' 'Where?' 'Police station.' 'Why?' 'Questioning.' 'Questioning? About what?' 'SMS and phone calls, madam.' 'Can't it wait until tomorrow? I'm already late, you see.' 'No, we're fully aware of your background.'

'Can I make a call?' asked Zarina and pulled her mobile from her purse. 'Not here, you can surely make call from police station.' 'Fine.' Zarina slipped her phone back in her purse. 'Open the other door.' She unlocked the back seat door, and one man immediately climbed in the car. Other man walked back to his jeep. Zarina pulled in behind the police jeep and they started route to police station. 'I wish you could have come to my shop. I just came from it,' said Zarina. Man on back seat kept his gaze on the police jeep. 'Can I ask why you're out this late, madam?' 'As I told you I was working in my shop.' 'Sunday night! This late?' 'It's not a nine-to-five job. Your partner mentioned phone calls and SMS. Was he referring ones that I made or received?' 'May be neither, or both.' 'What?' Zarina snapped. Those were the last words Zarina would ever speak. A massive hand over her mouth paralyzed her even as her foot stomped down on the car's brake. The police jeep had stopped up ahead and the man ran back to the car. He pushed a speed dial button on his phone. It was answered after one ring. Man at other end asked, 'Everything okay?' 'Perfect, boss,' replied the man. Thirty minutes later, Zarina's dead body was thrown in to the garbage dump.

Next day Sunny sat in the train to Bombay looking like a wounded man and all he could think of was Sandra. His imagination had run wild with since he'd read the initial news of murder of Zarina. The first page of every New Delhi newspaper carried the sensational story of the disappearance of Zarina Imran Khan. Not that such happening was unusual, but in view of her relation with Imran, and those details which the fertile-minded reporters could fill in, and make it extraordinary. Her body was found in mutilated form with her head smashed with a heavy object, and acid was thrown on face to hide her identity. Medical reports had also confirmed that she was raped before her death. There was nothing he could do. He had no idea what he was going to do for rest of his life, but there was no question in his mind that he was in love with Sandra. He had known it in his soul for a very, very long time. He was absorbed in deep thoughts everything was happening in slow motion before his eyes. He watched himself being arrested, how he was beaten to blue in prison for a bribe of thirty thousand, how he suffered in isolation, and had to manage his affairs with little money. How he was compelled to work hard for petty money to survive. He saw people suffering, quarreling over trivial things in Ashram, and now the murder of Zarina had completely shaken him. He slept for part of journey, and arrived in Bombay in the morning. On reaching Bombay Sunny awakened with feeling of tiredness, his mind filled with dreams of Sandra and her reaction when she would know about his present job. 'I'm sure she can read my mind without saying anything,' he thought. In night he had many thoughts, and they were all similar. Whether she is married? And living happily with her family? Her husband must be luckiest guy in this world. I will first Nandu. He must know it all. Now it's over three years. Has she forgotten me? In case she is married I will go away from Bombay and do the worst jobs and enjoy the life of a demon, do all the heinous crimes nobody has ever done. Sunny awoke trembling, and it was impossible for him to go back to sleep in train. He sat on his berth until dawn and watched the sun coming up. In morning he was too nervous to eat his breakfast. He thought he could have slept the night

before, and wished he will not be tense when he will face Sandra. Sunny checked in a hotel at Bombay Central, and as he bathed and dressed he had a premonition of doom. At half past eight Sunny reached at the home of the Nandu and asked about Sandra. 'She abandoned her job in the company after you went, but now she will be delighted to see you again after all those years,' Nandu said. 'Oh, yes. I suppose you know whether she is married?' and his heart missed a beat.

Sunny had often wondered what he would say and what he would do if he ever saw Sandra again. In the bank he saw her from a distance and his heart suddenly began to ponder. She looked exactly as he ed her, only she seemed even more beautiful. There was a maturity now, a sureness, which time had given her. He suddenly came and stood before Sandra in bank. She looked at him and tried to recognize his face as she had never seen him with little grown beard and wearing a turban. As she recognized him she felt as if her heart had just been ripped out. He was just standing in front of her. She got up as she saw. A small warm smile came to her lips as she saw him. She hadn't said anything, her tongue seemed frozen, and for a second he thought she didn't recognize him. Suddenly he felt guilty about showing up this way without warning, and this made it harder. He had thought it would be easier somehow, that he would know how, that he would know what to say. But he didn't. Everything that came to his mind seemed inappropriate, somehow lacking. She suddenly had tears in her eyes, and her eyes were sparkling. It was like a dream came true. She was staring at him in amazement. Thoughts of the past, they had shared came back to her, and as she stared at him, she noticed how much he'd changed, since she'd last seen him. He looked good, she thought, with a maroon turban on his head and slightly grown beard on his face. When she was finally ready, she took a deep breath and smiled, looked at him with amazement in her eyes. She arose from her seat and hurriedly asked the

next person in the bank to see her work if it was urgent. They walked slowly out of bank and entered a nearby crowded café. A moment later Sunny was touching her hand looking into her eyes, and it was as though they had never been apart. They stood there, surrounded by people and yet they might have been completely alone. Sandra had no idea how long they stood there looking at each other. Finally, they found a table at the rear of the room. Without any word they stared each other for a long time, before she finally could see the changes she had not noticed at first. He was wearing a turban now, and his face had lost the softness of youth. There was a scar on his fore head that had not been there before. Her eyes brimmed with tears. She smiled nervously and felt the blood in her face. She tried to compose herself, wiping away the last of her tears. She took a deep breath, wondering what to say, and Sunny felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. He looked at her. She was pretty with traits like confidence, strength of spirit, ion, traits that inspired others. Sandra was sure nothing short of death would keep Sunny away from her. She was watching him, her eyes filled with questions. 'Where were you in these days? There isn't a day that's gone by that I haven't thought about you. Why did you not call me?' she asked him almost crying. 'I was lost,' he said slowly. When a waiter came Sunny ordered two coffees. Sandra was still in the shock and staring at him in surprise. Sunny looked thin and worn, and desperately pale. 'You are changed,' she said. 'You mean I started wearing turban.' 'No, you've lost weight and you look tired and weak.' 'I suppose I do......' She smiled at him. She knew he'd had a rough time. 'What happened to after me,' asked Sunny.

'What followed can be told in a very few words. MD made a compromise with exporter, and subsequently case was withdrawn. Actually company's driver had killed Luca at the order of Ancy. She was also arrested on suspicion. She appeared before the magistrate, looking innocent and beautiful, and managed her evidences completely to baffle court. She denied nothing, but declared that murder may be done by company's driver whom she had engaged. She had her suspicion with regard to that man soon afterwards, and had dismissed him. She believed that he was in of MD, but she could not tell anything for certain. Thus she escaped conviction. I was certain that she was guilty, but there was not a shadow of proof. A year later MD died of alcoholism and Ancy owned his entire property. Now she is a multi- millionaire! All's well that ends well.' 'But did it end well?' thought Sunny. They sipped coffee silently. 'Will you marry me?' asked Sunny hesitantly. 'Why didn't you asked me earlier?' she asked coolly without replying him. 'You know I'm so much shy and stupid, and I never wanted to hurt you but I love you so much.' 'I know you love me intensely,' she said gravely. 'And I knew I couldn't resist it even if I willing do so. I also know you are pure at heart. You thought me a cool person, but in my heart there still burns a secret fire as intense as it was when you gave me birth day gift. I always considered you as my friend but in my heart I was married to you. And you wanted me to propose you!' 'No, I mean.....' 'You mean what? I'm also a girl who has feelings. I've seen you were serious in love, but you had gone mad in love.' 'No life is complete without a touch of madness.' And where you were, and what you did in these years?' She asked. Sunny narrated his story, omitting his job profile in the company of Imran, and instead he said he was a marketing manager in an export company. He couldn't

bring himself to tell her what he actually was doing in New Delhi. And then he said, 'I had my self-imposed exile, which on one hand helped me to discover important truths about life, and it also had a serious side effect, the vice of solitude. I had the illusion that rest of my life was mine alone searching you in fantasy and fog. After parting with you I was drawn in a depression and lost hope to meet you again. But now I realize that love is the strongest emotion we have which can defy destiny.' Sandra listen the stories of Sunny, and she was filled with pain. She sat in stunned silence and waited for more news from him, and feeling her body turn to stone. 'You were searching a life without a challenge? Why do you come to me now?' She finally asked. 'Then I thought I could not spend of my life without you.' 'And you think you are great!' 'Of course I'm, that's why you love me so much,' he said with a smile, and feeling something heavy in his heart that he hadn't told her his real job in New Delhi. It was his guilt that frightened him. It would have been so much easier if he had told her the truth. He placed a small red- and white wrapped box in her hand. 'Open it.' Sunny watched as she untied the golden thread, and removed the lid. In the box lay a beautiful large ruby surrounded by diamonds studded in a ring. Sandra stared at it. She stared to protest. 'Oh, it's beautiful!' And she saw the look of pride and pleasure on his face. 'Sunny- what am I going to do with it?' He placed the ring on her ring finger of her left hand. 'I ----I don't know what to say. I----- thank you. It's really a celebration, isn't it? I've a more precious gift for you,' she said with tears in her eyes. 'What's that?' Sunny asked curiously.

Sandra with Sunny arrived at home. In the way they sat in mute, as if they were in a no-talking competition. She waved to Nancy, who was sitting on a fence in the little garden. She jumped up as soon as she saw her and rushed to greet her, and then looked at Sunny for the first time and smiled. Sandra watched them silently. There was something profoundly touching, and she thought how much Nancy needed her father. Perhaps things would have been different if Sunny was with them earlier. Sunny's face broke into a warm gentle smile when he saw Nancy for the first time. He walked over near Nancy and caught her hand and kissed her open palm. Nancy stared up at him for a moment, then her face lit up and her eyes and lips crinkled in to a smile. Sandra looked at her and said. 'He's your father Nancy, who loves you.' Nancy looked up at him and her eyes grew thoughtful. She moved restlessly towards her mother and embraced her. Sunny caught Nancy with one arm and rolled her close to him as he went down on one knee to absorb the impact. He felt the soft press of her body against him. She kissed him quickly on his cheek and turned her face away from him almost shyly. 'God,' Sandra said trying to inject energy into her voice. She felt completely and utterly drained, and she wasn't in the mood to have to explain everything to the girl right now. But she would have to. Nancy looked at her, studying Sandra's face and trying to assess how the situation was. Sandra felt guilty of telling lie to her little daughter earlier. 'Ok, why don't you make yourself comfortable and I'll follow you in a minute?' Sandra said with a relief and went to kitchen leaving them alone in drawing room. Sandra soon prepared dinner and they ate silently. 'Have you got something else on your mind? You seemed preoccupied,' asked Sandra suddenly. 'No,' said Sunny and felt guilty of hiding truth about his job with Imran.

In the night Sunny stood over Nancy's bed watched her breathe, her little chest rising and falling in a reassuring rhythm. He brushed a lock of hair off Nancy's forehead. From the first moment he saw her and held in his arms, he had loved her and known that he would do anything, pay any price, to keep her safe, secure and happy.

When Sunny arrived, there was an aura of festivity throughout the home and in Sandra's world. Soon they married. It was simple ceremony, and the only outside person present in marriage was Nandu. The reason for excluding others were out of genuine concern that Sunny was still a fugitive in-spite all his charges had vanished. The wedding was on Sunday and it was more a 'do-it-yourself wedding,' and they were legally married! Their honeymoon was spent at home only. Like most of girls Sandra had always dreamed of a fairy tale wedding, with a princess dress surrounded by all who were near and dear to her. She imagined the reception would be best night of her life, pictured herself dancing with all her ired by everyone and feeling special. But now reality was quite different. In-spite of all odds they were happy. 'We had waited long, and our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on each other,' said Sandra. 'Yes, now I feel in past everything in my life has led me to you. My choices, my tragedies, and my struggles, everything had directed me to you. And now we're together my past seems worth it, because, if I had done things differently, I might have never met you. Now you're with me I don't mind repeating all my mistakes and my all my misadventures because they were worth trying to get you. Had I not done them I would have never got you again,' said Sunny.

Next morning, as Sandra got out of bed and stretched, she looked at Sunny and smiled. 'Good morning.' 'Good morning. When will you be free from office today?'

'Not before six in evening' 'Good enough. I'll wait for you.' Sunny looked at Nancy, she was sleeping. He touched her nose and smiled to himself as she wrinkled it up in her sleep. He loved watching her while she was still sleeping; and she looked like a princess, so beautiful and peaceful. He ticked her nose again and smiled as her eyes slowly opened. 'Good morning, sleepy-doll,' and he kissed her on her chin. She smiled and cuddled closer to him and rested her head on his chest. 'What do you want for breakfast?' asked Sandra. Nancy giggled. 'I want cornflakes, milk......No, no I want ice cream.' 'Ice cream! That too in the morning?' Sunny laughed. 'Yes,' Nancy grinned. 'I want chocolate ice cream,' she said bravely. 'OK, in the morning cornflakes, milk and boiled eggs, and ice-cream only in afternoon,' said Sandra finally. 'Towel, soap and shampoo are all set in bathroom. I've got the rest of your clothes in my cupboard,' Sandra said looking at Sunny. Thirty minutes later they sat at the dining table for breakfast. Sandra's hair was pulled back into a pony tail and she was barefoot. Sunny had on a red longsleeved shirt and a pair of corduroy pants he last worn over three years ago. 'You're going to need new things,' said Sandra. 'Yes,' He laughed and he ran a thumb inside the waist of his saggy pant. 'I don't know I was such a fat earlier.' Nancy looked at him and giggled. As sunlight spilled through the window Sandra watched as Sunny took his time with each bite and drank coffee in careful sips. Sunny caught her eyeing him and put his coffee cup down.

Sandra leaned across and said, 'I can't tell you how good it is to have you back safe. What a relief it is...........' Her voice faltered and Sunny saw her eyes suddenly tear up. She hurried over and poured another cup of coffee for Sunny while she regained her composure.

In the evening when she returned home she had bought few packets and went straight to kitchen. There she called Nancy and closed the kitchen door. After a while Nancy came out and said, 'You're not allowed in kitchen.' 'Okay, dear.' Soon Sandra came out, and she took his hand. 'Come Sunny. I have a surprise for you.' She led him into the small dining room attached to kitchen. The table was set for three, with beautiful lighted candles in the center of the table. 'What's this for?' 'It's your birthday, and my birthday, Sunny.' 'Yes, you're right. We have birthday on same date. I had forgotten it since long,' he said lamely, and looked into her eyes and sat down. 'Cheer up dear, before marriage you bought me this fine dress, and today I'm wearing the same.' Nancy giggled looking at them. She was dress elegantly in a pink frock, her hair tied like a pony tail on back of back of her face. She had a bottle of scent in her hand, and she sprayed on her father and laughed. Sunny gave her a fond hug and she blushed as she often did. She giggled and left the room swiftly, but returned again carrying her doll wrapped in her arms. 'Oh, she's so sweet!' I haven't seen any such doll.' Sunny exclaimed, and she put the doll on his lap. 'Its name is Lara, she is my best friend,' Nancy said proudly. Sunny looked at her amazed.

Dinner consisted of all favorite dishes Sunny liked. 'It was a beautiful dinner, Sandra.' he said. 'I'm glad you're here.' She looked at him searchingly and saw the tired lines around his eyes. He should not have been working that hard or been under that much pressure. 'You've been pushing too hard, my love,' she said. 'What makes you say that?' he stretched his legs out. 'You lost weight and you look tired.' 'I suppose I do.........It's a tough business.' She smiled at him. She knew he'd had a rough time too. Sunny didn't say anything for a long time, and then he looked at Sandra. He didn't know how to say anything for a long time. He didn't know how to begin to approach it, but the time was now or never. He wanted to move closer to her, but he didn't. 'I've got something to say,' he said. 'Is something wrong?' she asked, May be something about their marriage or police case, she thought. 'Something I want to talk about my present job?' She looked surprised. So far he'd stayed away from telling her about his work. Now he didn't know her field any better than she knew his, and they both needed. 'What about it?' she asked. He held his breath and then went on a moment later, 'I want to change my job, and some other company soon,' he said. But she hadn't point yet. It was the farthest thing from her mind. 'Why? What did you have in mind?' He was obviously telling her something but she wasn't sure what yet. He looked

her straight in her eyes and said, 'My job is.......Actually I want a change away from Delhi.' 'Okay, where do you plan to shift?' 'I don't know.' She smiled. 'Not in New Delhi, not in Bombay, do you plan to go some foreign country like Dubai, Singapore, USA or Canada?' 'But I can't do that, you know.' 'Yes, you're right,' and her eyes filled with tears. She started to tremble all over and he went to her and took her in his arms with tears that she could not see filling his eyes as he held her. 'You're going again? Aren't you?' He nodded his head. Tears filled the deep and dark eyes of Sandra, and she lays her head back on couch. 'Don't look like that at me, please......' and he sat down in the chair across from the coach. She was crying openly now. 'I've to go Sandra.' She nodded her head. She seemed to understand, but it didn't ease the pain. It seemed to take hours to get up the courage to ask the only thing she wanted to know, but at last she did. 'When, are you going?' Sunny gulped hard. It was the hardest thing he'd ever said. 'Four days.' She visibly winced and closed her eyes again, nodded her head as the tears slid down her cheeks. 'Oh, God, Sunny.......... I can't.........how will I live without you....?' But he had no choice.........no choice...........he was a man.........he had to fight his fate....... And worst of it was that when he felt sick over what he'd done to in the

past. He felt a strange, unfamiliar thrill of excitement about going again to settle in life, to an unknown place again and there was no opportunity he might do. He had to do something almost like a mystic rite to become a successful, and he felt guilty about that too. He was so torn between Sandra's clinging hands, and what he knew he had to do. And finally when he got up she was quite now, her tears were spent, her eyes swollen, and she looked a little bit more resigned that she had before. For Sunny, in some terrible, desperate frightening, it was like losing him again. Sunny was all she had felt and Nancy was dependent on her, and suddenly he was leaving her again. 'You'll be all right, won't you?' He sat on the edge of bed, looking at her, desperate for some reassurance from her now, and she smiled sadly and reached a hand out for his. 'I'll have to be, I guess, won't I? And then she smiled again, almost mysteriously.

When Sunny awoke the next day, Sandra had already gone to bank and Nancy to her nursery school for a while. He got up slowly and went to kitchen he found a note she had left for him. 'Meet you here at six. Have a nice day, love.' He smiled at the simple words, but it felt so good to read them. He went to near bazaar and bought fruits, cheese, cookies and chocolates for Nancy, and other things for himself and for home. He picked up Nancy from her school on his return, and when he reached home, there was amazing feeling that he was not alone. He sat in the living room, waiting for Sandra, and at last when she arrived, she looked rumpled and tired, and excited to see them at home. 'Hi, love, how was your day?' asked Sunny. 'Wonderful,' she walked into living room with a broad smile. 'How was yours?' She asked.

'It was endless, without you.' It was an honest thing to say and he sat next to her in couch. It was fun having someone to talk at the end of the day, other than Nancy. 'Come Nancy and sit down and tell me what you did today?' asked Sandra. 'I learnt a new poem in school.' Then Nancy told her what her papa had brought for her and for home. And then she sheepishly told her that she had counted the hours with papa until she saw her again, and she looked pleased. Nancy had hairs of the color of her mother's, but her eyes were Sunny's, and her personality was her own. She had the same fiery nature like Sunny, and her presence was known to her irer at once. She liked to wear like Sunny, jean pant and knitted T-shirt. 'You are girl. Girls like to wear pretty things,' said Sandra and she smiled. Sunny said, 'she is a baby.' Sandra thought that Nancy was little bit spoiled after meeting her father. And she was the apple of her father's eye. Nancy looked at her mother and finding her little annoyed came near her and said, 'We missed you a lot today mom.' 'I feel the same way, darling. All I could think of was you. It does sound crazy, doesn't it?' And with that she put an arm around Nancy' shoulders and pulled her close. 'May be I should start dinner or something? No, I should take a cold shower before dinner,' and she got up and walked around, but Sunny pulled her back in to couch again. Nancy tried to embrace both with her little hands, and then it was as though the whole world stood still for all of them. Sunny had never felt like this before. After a while suddenly Sandra stood up gently, and then she turned to Sunny. 'Sometime I get scared, when I thought about past and our future,' and left to kitchen. She made dinner and came back and watched television and laughed, as nothing bad has ever come in their life. Nancy played with Sunny, and she rolled her

eyes, jumped from a table, and Sunny held her comfortably in his arms every time. Sandra realized that she had never been so happy in her life. They all slept together in one bed that night. Nancy slept peacefully between them. 'Well, what did you think?' Sandra asked Sunny when they were finally alone again that night. 'I've to move some other place and start life again. I'm happy that I have no more depression now, after meeting you. Surely it will not be hard to settle this time,' said Sunny. She smiled happily at him. 'Yes, we will live together at new place. I'll become a teacher in some school, and we'll earn enough to live peacefully with our daughter at new place. Sunny looked satisfied, and smiled. 'I thought so too.' He leaned towards her gently kissed her. 'I'm glad you will be with me there.' 'Me too,' and then she closed her eyes, thinking of the new place they will soon go. 'What's wrong, Sandra?' He took her hand in his. 'You look sad.' He wondered for the hundredth time since they had first made love if she regretted getting involved with him. He left her, and neither of them knew when they would meet again. It seemed to be an uncertainty they constantly had to bear. 'It is a crazy life we lead, you and I.' She nodded and then smiled. 'But we'll figure something else out soon,' and then he decided to pursue an idea, 'what about going to Darjeeling, all together. There are good schools. We will buy a small house there, and soon I get involve in some job or in business over there. It's a wonderful place for kids........ for us......... for anyone in fact.' His eyes lit up at the thought. 'And it would give us a chance to be together again.' She sighed and met his eyes with a rueful smile. 'Our daughter would probably find it difficult to adjust at new place.'

'Nancy will adjust herself, and she doesn't have to know all the details.' He sounded so assured that Sandra sat back and looked at him with a long, lazy and happy smile. For a man who had seen tough time, now he seemed remarkably confident about things now. And she knew there was no point. Once he had made up his mind, one way or other, he could not be swayed. 'I think you are right,' she said. He smiled at what she said. 'I've never felt like this before, but it all feels so right. I think Nancy is so young she will adjust soon in new atmosphere. Don't you think so?' 'Yes, I don't think now I can't survive for more than a few days without you.' Her voice was soft and said as she leaned her head against his chest and felt his warmth envelop her. 'Don't worry Sandra. Just come.' She smiled at him. 'I just don't know what to tell Nancy about leaving Bombay.' 'Tell her the mountains are better place for health and schooling.' She laughed and looked at him. 'Don't you like the beaches?' 'Sure. But I love mountains. All, that good air, splendid views, and good hikes.' 'Alright, I'll go with you, wherever you say, Sunny.' 'Good!' He glanced at his watch. It was half past one in night, and he pulled her towards him. He kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair, smiling at his own thoughts of going to new place. In morning she got up to go her bank again, she prepared lunch, sent Nancy to her school and made him coffee and omelet for Sunny before she left. And when she was gone, she kept thinking about the moment when she would return home again.

16

During investigation in the bank Sandra looked at a photo of Sunny in police file. She felt raw and hurt and a great lump appeared in her throat and tears stung her hot eyelids and insisted on blurring her vision now and then. She shuddered as the terrible thought flashed through her mind, then went on with her work again. She must shake off this state of mind, or she would lose this opportunity to help Sunny. Ten minutes later Sandra stood on the street in front of bank, to reach home as soon as possible. She was too tired and shaken to drive her car. Her car ed through the thickest of city's business streets, and the noise and confusion. She stopped the car and rested wearily against the window with closed eyes, and tried to think. Her heart sank again, and she felt her life had stumbled through a crack in the world and found herself fighting for their lives in the dark. 'And there was nobody in dark, fighting with whom? God help me.' Now she had to fight with her fate again.

Sunny was lying on a bed that afternoon when Sandra walked in. He knew instantly from the look on her face that something was wrong. 'Why didn't you tell me? She sounded both angry and hurt, and her voice was filled with accusation. Nancy clutched her doll, tears trickling down her plump cheeks. 'Tell you what?' asked Sunny. 'About Imran and you job.' 'Sandra, let's not discuss this.'

Sandra looked at him. In her eyes was stark fear, but also something else that devastated him; distrust for him. He put his hand out to her, but she drew back a little. Sandra's chest rose and fell with each labored breath she took. Her tone was filled with cold fury. Thrusting out her chin she looked directly at him. 'Why, not me? I'm your wife. Everybody is discussing it. I've seen your photograph in police record. The word is that you're Imran's man.' 'Stop it; you are wrong about what you think of Imran, if you'll meet him. You'll see--------.' The moment the words were out. Sunny knew he had made a mistake. He looked at her sadly and said, 'Police had wrapped me up, haven't they------------.' He knew he was talking too loudly, but he was unable to control himself. Sandra could feel an anger rising in her. It started as a spark and became a flame that exploded inside her. And when she spoke, her voice was trembling. 'You cheated me, I trusted you. I------------ I have nothing to say to you! I don't care what you do. All I want to be left alone. Now please go away,' she said, and she was sobbing so hard she couldn't breathe. The words washed over him like black-hot lava, burning him, scolding him, until his body felt as though it was on fire. He looked up at Sandra he thought his heart would burst. Anger and pain blended with love and strength, she had made a declaration of mistrust in him, her statement seeming to dare him to question her motivation. But it was more what she had not said, than what she had, that ripped Sunny's gut. Although she hadn't spoken the accusation aloud, he had heard what he wanted to hear, assumed what he wanted to believe. Damn but the truth hurt, and hurt like hell. Sandra was right, he was a liar, and coward too. He was blown out with a strong current of winds. He had been chasing some fantasy and finally had knock down. 'In all those years since you left, you never wrote, you never called. When you said good bye to me, you cut all your ties with me,' she said, and there was a pain in her voice.

'Sandra, you know if I had called------------' 'There is no point in playing 'what, if,' is there? You thought you were doing the right thing, but you were wrong.' 'Sandra, please try to understand my situation,' he said and grabbed her hands, which she had knotted into tight grips. Her arms were stiff, her body rigid at the touch of his flesh against her. 'Why do you hate me so much?' He stroked the underside of her wrist with his thumb. She shivered, and she released herself immediately. 'Sandra, I love you, and I always loved you like a crazy man all these years, believe me.' 'Love is not enough, you've to be---------' Sandra closed her eyes as if trying to find some proper word to say. She was bolted out by memories of solitude of past, once he had left her. Tear drops trickled down her cheeks. 'Sandra?' He closed the distance between them, but when he reached for her, she side stepped him and stood rigidly, her stance daring him to touch her. Sandra possessed a solitary strength as if during the past years she had learned that she could rely on no one except herself. Sunny could see that strength in her cold eyes in her tight coiled body in the aura of self-assurance that surrounded her. This woman wasn't the girl now he had known. She was as much stronger and stranger to him. 'I it, I was weak,' said Sunny. 'Yes, you were, and also stupid,' she said bluntly. 'What do you want in life,' she screamed. 'I don't know. Sandra, you don't know things were back then with me.' With a wave of her hand she cut him off. 'Things back then were exactly the same as they are today. Nothing has changed, except the people. All people who play these games are all the same. They talk

good, that is all bullshit. They know how to use people like you, make a bait of them, and protect their interest. That's all it is ever about them. Always.' Nancy flung herself around Sunny's leg. 'Papa!' she wailed. The sound was cracking his heart in half. He could barely breathe as the tears streamed down his daughter's face. He lifted her up and held her. 'I'm sorry, but I promise you one thing. Are you listening? Can you listen to Papa for just a minute? Please baby, please.' Sandra's eyes opened wide. Her lips parted slightly on an indrawn breath. She swiped the tears from her cheeks. 'Don't dare to touch my daughter again. Nancy is my daughter! She was like a tigress, claw extended, teeth bared, ready to strike out at any threat to her cub. This wasn't the Sandra he had known. He only knew a sweet, gentle, and innocent Sandra, he had ever seen earlier. There had been no anger, no hatred in her. But hatred radiated from this woman, and it focused directly at him. Nancy finally stopped crying. Now she was staring at her mother. 'I promise you, everything will be alright.' 'But how,' Sandra said with raised voice. 'How will you fix it all? You can't go back in past. It's the road to hell for sure you know that as well as I does.' 'Sandra, please?' Sunny glanced at Nancy. 'No! You've deceived me, and also to your daughter.' 'I'm sorry. If you just knew---------' 'No, I don't want to know.' She took a struggling Nancy from his arms. 'No! No!' Nancy screamed and started hitting her mother. 'Can you right these wrongs?' Sandra asked, looking at Sunny anxiously.

'I'm going to try my best,' he said. That's all I can do.' 'And you can't go to the police,' she said. 'I wish I could, but I can't. Not yet.' He put Nancy down and picked up doll she'd dropped. Nancy was sniffling back her tears. Sandra put an arm around Nancy's small shoulders. 'Because, you're a fugitive!' she said and took Nancy with her and fled into the other room, slamming the door behind her. Sunny kneeled down on his knees. He remained silent for a long moment, his throat closed tightly. He'd known Sandra loved him, but he'd had no idea the depth of her feeling for him. He wanted to reach out and take her in to arms and comfort her. But he could tell by her wary stance that she didn't want him to touch her. She probably hated him now. If she did, he couldn't blame her for that. He had known, somewhere in the darkest, most private recesses of his soul, that the day of reckoning would come, sooner or later, when he has to pay for his sins. It was his guilt, he thought, that he had overreacted with her. Sandra stood in kitchen against the wall clutching Nancy with her closely, taking deep breaths, wiping the tears from her eyes. She knew she had behaved very harshly and stupidly with Sunny.

After some time when she opened the door and walked into the living room. Sunny was sitting in a chair, leafing through a magazine. She brought a cup of coffee for him. He looked at her coming, and he put the magazine down. He accepted the cup, and then set it aside on the small table and grasped Sandra's hand. 'I love you, Sandra.' He squeezed her as he looked into her eyes, and quietly said, 'I'm sorry. We can discuss this calmly for a moment.' 'No, I have nothing more to say to you.' She tried to relax, but it was impossible. No matter how much he pretended, the charming man seated opposite her was now her enemy. Her whole future was with him. The next day or two would determine in which direction the rest of her life would move.

Sunny was going out of his way to try to relax her. 'Ok, tell me exactly what you're doing in New Delhi,' she asked coolly. 'I won't be angry with you,' she said sharply. 'Tell me! We are wife and husband. We have no secrets between us.' He took a deep, shaky breath and said, 'All right.' Sunny filled her with his story. Sandra listened patiently. She felt a cold shiver of excitement, trembled through him. A sudden fear began to tear through her. Haltingly, Sunny began to recount the events in Delhi, gradually speaking more rapidly as it all came to life again. Sandra sat there quietly listening, studying him, and saying nothing. When Sunny had finished talking Sandra said. 'Why didn't you come to me in those difficult days?' 'I wanted to settle in life before I come to you.' Sandra was more matured; her hard work and worries seemed to have made her stronger instead of wearing her out. She grabbed his sleeve. 'Do you think you've settled in life now? Sunny.....Sunny.......you've betrayed me,' she was almost crying. 'Do you know, with whom you are working? They are bloody criminals!' She could feel everything suddenly giving way and she could not stop it. She burst into tears; so hard and her body convulsed, she slumped to the floor, every muscle seemed to have, her moans filling the house, and it threatened to violently explode. She knew something bad was bound to happen. 'Don't worry about it, Sandra. I'll set everything right, believe me.' 'You can't be that naïve. You're the one who's going to pay for all these.' Sunny knew she was right, but he said angrily. 'Drop it, Sandra.' Sunny's eyes were fastened on her face. She felt the red fire creep up into her throat and over her face. 'What makes you say that?' Sunny grabbed her hand. Sandra could feel the blood rushing to her face. He was pressing her hand tighter. She looked at him and fought with all her strength and found herself weakening.

'Please Sunny,' she begged. 'Don't be mad at me,' she said. Her voice was breathy and earnest. Sandra felt the tears began to come, and her throat constricted so tightly that she could hardly breathe. She could feel the blood racing in her veins, her heart pounding. She looked at him for a long moment, and then said, 'Right. You're the husband.' Sunny stared at her for long without answering, and then said, 'I'm sorry.' His voice was sad. It depressed him to think that she had to defend herself against him too. 'I hope to hell, I never do that.' He looked down at her seriously. 'I love you. All these years, I kept asking myself what I really wanted in my life.' He squeezed her hand. 'And do you know what the answer was? The answer was that I wanted one thing, the only thing. I want you. I want us. I love you and I always have. She took a deep breath and wiped her face, and walked to the edge of the porch where she leaned against the post. She crossed her arms.

Next day it had been another depressing day, and Sunny began to regret having been so sharp with Sandra. He began to feel guilty. There was a knock at the door and Nancy opened it quickly. 'Oh, it's you uncle,' she exclaimed in a whisper on looking at Nandu. Nancy stepped back. 'Won't you come in, uncle?' Sandra greeted Nandu with a smile which quickly drawn into a frown. Her second gesture was for Sunny, and her eyes now revealed coldness. Nandu had come to see them. 'I'm concerned about you, Sunny. I hear that you're working, well, with a wrong man.' He had information from Sandra being a family friend. 'With a bastard,' Sandra corrected Nandu. Sunny knew calling Imran as bastard was a gross understatement. It was like saying Kashmir is cool in winter. 'Who are the right people? Did you judge the

MD before ing his organization?' asked Sunny. Nandu shook his head. 'Of course not, but it is one thing when a guy makes a mistake, and it's something else when you somebody knowing him he is criminal, and corruption is organized there. Even if you help those people, you're approving what they do. You become a part of it.' 'No, I'm a consultant. I only help them in their business.' 'Even, if their business is immoral?' 'I don't know that. I could get killed by a truck this afternoon, if I betray Imran.' Sunny said in a low voice. Sandra put her head down on the dining table and closed her eyes, trying to shut out the hurt. Mentally and emotionally weary, tired from carrying heavy burdens in her heart, she stretched her feet under the table. And when Sandra opened her eyes, night had fallen. Nandu was gone. The home was in darkness. She walked over to the window of kitchen and stared outside. It looked like a jungle at night. It was Imran's jungle. There was no way out of it. She knew Sunny was simply a guy who had made some bad choices, a man who had made up his own rules and he went along with them. She couldn't defend most of the things he had done, but she surely didn't want to hate him. Sunny was watching her, wrapped in silence. His touch made Sandra shiver. They walked over in their drawing room. They sat in silence on the floor with their hands gripped together. The light from the electric street lamps shone palely on the ceiling and tops of the furniture, but down below where they were sitting, it was dark. Nancy was sleeping now in her room. Sunny wanted to move closer to Sandra, but he didn't. 'I've got something to say.' 'Is something more wrong?' said Sandra, but there was no rush to talk about that yet. 'What's up, love? She asked again and looked at him surprised. He looked her straight in her eyes and again told his story, his sufferings, his frustrations and his depression. There was a total blank on Sandra's face and a look of shock as she went pale staring at him. She sank on his lap, dropping her

head back feeling the frustration and defeat press down on her. She watched Nancy helplessly. She shook her head 'Yes, I've been trying to get up the guts to tell you about this,' said Sunny. 'You don't have to prove anything to me. You can't live like that, and neither can we.' 'What do you expect me to do?' He hated to say the words, and it was too much strain for her, just knowing that something could happen again would put too much pressure on her and on him. He didn't want her going through that again. He shuddered at the thought, 'I think I should quit Bombay.' Sandra looked at him blank. 'What reason do you need?' He was shouting at her. It was almost more than he could stand to think about as he looked at her. 'I don't care. I love you. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you,' she said bursting into tears. He looked at her, his eyes boring into hers and shook his head slowly. Sunny thought, how can Sandra be such an idealistic? And Sandra thought how he can be so cold-blooded!

The day that followed was again miserable for both of them. Sunny found again at cross road. The dilemma and anxiety was quite gut-wrenching. He regretted the emotional chasm between them, but he did not know how to bridge it. Sandra was too proud and headstrong to give in to him because she knew she was right. Sunny thought something had died in him forever, and he was left with guilt and loneliness. He had made up mind to tell Sandra that he was leaving. Now there would be no Sandra, and no Nancy in his life. He had to be away somewhere, alone, and starts over, but start over what? He had a debt to pay, he don't want to be a liability on Sandra. He would do this last thing for Sandra and tell her his plan when she will return tomorrow from her office. Sandra spent the next day in bank and by the time she finished and arrived home

it was seven thirty in evening. The rain, which had been a drizzle all day, became torrents in the evening. She was completely soaked as she entered in her home and hurried inside. In the way she tried to phone Sunny, but couldn't get him. 'Tonight we'll just stay home, have some nice dinner, watch a movie in TV, and talk a lot. We are going to relax completely,' she said closing the door behind her. 'Okay,' said Sunny, and Nancy clapped in excitement. 'Well, I'm for a hot shower for a while,' she said and went down the drawing room. 'You're welcome to me,' she called over Sunny's shoulder in whisper, and left, leaving a smile on his lips as he heard her last remark. She threw her purse down on bed, and raced into bathroom, where she splashed water on her face and changed out of her wet clothes and into jeans and a T-shirt. When she came out she prepared soup for Nancy and placed a plate in front of her, automatically she began to eat. Sunny had dinner and after dinner he went for a walk and return after a while. Sandra was at the door when he arrived. 'Sunny, you've to go into Nancy's school tomorrow. It's a parent's day,' she said. 'Sandra, I really don't feel comfortable doing that.' 'All the other kid's parents are doing it. We can't leave Nancy out. I'd love to go there, but tomorrow I've an important meeting to attend.' Sunny didn't answer. 'You've to go, Sunny. Nancy will be so disappointed if you don't.' Sunny had no choice he walked up to Nancy's room. She was sitting up in her bed, surrounded by stuffed animals. She had seven of them she kept on her bed. She called them angels. Around the foot of the bed were more toys, and they were all her favorites. Her big gray eyes looked up to him as she got right to the point. 'Are you coming tomorrow, Papa?'

'I was just talking to your Mom about that.' 'I've been telling everybody about you in school.' 'What have you been telling them?' 'That you're a captain in army, and you're the best.' Sunny didn't know what to say so remained silent for a while and then said, ', there are lot of people who are best in the army. I'm not that special.' 'But you'll be the best, Papa. I know you will. Please come, please.' She tugged on his sleeve and then wrapped her arms around him. In the face of that, what father could say no? 'Okay, dear, I'll be there.' He kissed her on the fore head and nearly sprinted from the room. He felt rage that night, but it was not the same as all the other time, and that was due to little girl's question. Every child wants its father extraordinary, a right and just man, probably a hero, a soldier to be proud. He was not a hero, not even a soldier, and he was surely on the other side of law, nothing to be proud of.

17

Next day in morning Sunny was sitting on dining table for breakfast. He was carefully balancing a butter knife on the table where he was sitting so the knife was standing on edge. It was harder than it looked, yet he could accomplish it every time and within a few second. He did this whenever he was unsure of something. He was keeping it balance. If he could do it with knife, he could do it with his life. At least that was his thinking, but it was never that easy in reality. After breakfast he went to Nancy's school, as he walked through the school hall toward her nursery grade class, he was nearly knocked down by his daughter, who flew across the room to give him a hug. 'Papa,' Nancy went into his arms, then laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck. 'This is my papa,' she announced proudly to her classmates. 'And he's a Captain in army, and he's the best.' 'Am I?' thought Sunny. 'I wish I would be a proud soldier like my father was, not a con. On that day Nancy starring in the school play sang a song. She sang it beautifully. She had lovely voice. Everyone clapped so long and shouted, 'Once more.' She had to sing it again.

When Sunny arrived home he was full of guilt. He lay exhausted and soon felt dizzy. He drowned in a reverie and he saw Nancy grown up and staring at him, her face white, her expression, well, expressionless. She suddenly moved fast and plunged at him, hit him right in the chest with her shoulder, and he toppled to the floor. She pinned him to the floor and started slapping his face. He saw Sandra wrenched her away, holding her off the floor as she tried to kick and punch him. In the next instant Nancy had ripped from her mother and had fled toward room's door and opened it. 'Get out from here,' she screamed.

After a while Sunny opened his eyes and stared around. 'Nancy? Nancy?' he scanned the room, but nobody was there. He was sweating profusely. He went to bathroom, washed his face and looked in the mirror. He was not a bad man; just his life has not been kind to him. He could do nothing to change it. He had to look ahead, not to the past, and then he smiled. He had a reason to smile and he sat at dining table. He had his lunch, worked on briefs, prepared all evidences against Imran and his associates, wrote his storyall facts, no fiction with a soldier's spirit at least partially come to expectation of his little angel, and felt it cool, relieving, and great. With that Sunny went for the rest of the afternoon busy writing anonymous letters to various Government authorities, including Banks, Reserve Bank of India, Income Tax, Police, Central Bureau of Investigation, Customs, and in the offices of Chief Ministers, leading newspapers, television channels etc. It was almost evening before he had finished. Once finished, Sunny lay on his bed, thinking about Sandra. He was again absorbed in a reverie and in his dream he saw a court like room, and he was standing as accused in front of an old man who was sitting in chair of judge. He was a man of dominating height with a high forehead and silver grey hair, who commanded the court not only with his physical presence, but with a voice that was never less than authoritative. Sunny tried to recognize his familiar face, but couldn't. Sunny clearly looked at Sandra sitting in a black coat as defendant advocate, and her eyes rarely left looking at him except occasionally to peer down at her notes. He could clearly recognize Luca, MD, Ancy, and Zarina all sitting just behind the seat of public prosecutor and Sandra. The judge leaned forward to tell Sunny that that he could be sited, and turned towards the prosecutor to present his case in the court. He ordered him in his commanding voice to concentrate only on evidences, and not to waste the time of court. Prosecutor gave a highly professional of himself as he described in details how they had found these through. He constructed the events as he imagined they had happened with Sunny. Then he readout charges, accusing Sunny guilty of fraud, manipulations, assault, and murder of Luca. He even presented medical reports in of assault of Luca. The opening session lasted for a long time, and the prosecutor called all his witnesses.

After him Sandra rose from her seat and she spoke harshly and with confidence. For long she took painstaking back over his evidences presented by prosecutor, but was unable to make prosecutor retract anything substantial. The first witness was Luca. He was a frail man who looked as if he had recently lost a lot of weight, and he looked nearer sixty. Sunny wondered how much he must have aged over the past few years. He wore tattered suit that hung loosely on him. His grey thinning hairs were swept straight back. After some primary questions by prosecutor Sandra rose to cross-examine him. 'What happened to you on the night of accident?' asked Sandra. 'I was crossing the road and a van hit me.' 'At about what time was that?' 'It was few minutes past six.' 'What was the maker of that van?' 'I didn't saw.' 'Have you seen the driver?' 'Yes.' 'Who was the driver?' 'It was Ram Singh the driver of Ancy madam.' Luca also itted his other crimes of cheating innocent exporters. He was surprisingly telling the truth. It was a special court, and nobody could dare to tell a lie, thought Sunny. Otherwise truth was not expected from a man like Luca. Next witness produced before the court was MD. He still appeared drunk. 'Did you tell Ram Singh to kill Luca?' 'No, I told Ancy to get it done.' 'Why?' Sandra almost cried.

'I was afraid he may give all my business s to police.' Judge immediately ordered a police man to take him in custody. Ancy was next and she itted her crime. Sunny was astonished to see them all, and the drama which ran crystal clear as he was looking a film scene. Surprisingly all were speaking the truth. He wondered! Zarina voluntarily offered to say something and she narrated entire incident of how she was tortured and then killed by Imran's men. Then she confessed her crimes and talked about all illegal businesses of Imran and his associates. Listening all of them Judge issued a long sheet of judgment. Sunny wanted to know impatiently what judgment was. Sandra came to his rescue with a copy of that, and said, 'Don't worry Sunny; all your charges are vanished. Now it's matter of days, not even a month.' Sunny tried to read the judgment paper after taking it from her. Sunny could see that there was nothing written on it at all. A blank white sheet lay before him. He woke up suddenly from his reverie by the sound of his mobile ring. Phone was from Sandra. 'How're you dear?' 'I'm fine. I'll tell you about a strange dream I saw when you come home,' said Sunny. 'Okay, but why you started daydreaming?' Sunny smiled at her question. 'Do you need something from market? I'm on my way back to home.' 'No, it's alright. You come straight.' 'See you soon, love.' 'Bye.'

Sunny jolted upright in his bed, startling out of the semiconscious dream. He was sitting all alone in the room. Outside the window the sun had set and he felt a rising excitement about what lay ahead. He settled again in bed and closed his eyes.' How long have I been day dreaming? He wondered. Sunny felt little pleased after that. Perhaps there is a divine justice, and he ed saying of old lady who had talked about a justice called super natural justice. Sunny made his mind to visit her once again with Sandra and Nancy to pay his gratitude. When Sandra came home he told her all about his dream. She listened to him intently, and then said, 'I think it's a good omen.' 'I don't know that, but one thing is for sure; you looked very pretty in advocate's dress,' and he embraced her. 'Perhaps such divine justice was possible in real.' 'Now, what's on your mind?' asked Sunny. 'I don't know. You say.' 'We will go to some other place, away from New Delhi, and away from Bombay, probably in hills, where nobody knows us. I will do anything for you and Nancy may be I'll start a Dhaba. It will not be a big money, but I'll earn with fair means. I promise.' She smiled. 'I think that would be nice. I can't live without you,' Sandra said with tears in her eyes. 'Yes, we will go away from here where nobody knows us. You will not go to police, we can't trust them. We suffered a lot, even when you did no wrong. They will never understand our feeling and our suffering. They will arrest you again, put you in jail. Again there will be no bail, Imran will pay bribe to police, buy justice, and an advocate will prove in court that Imran is innocent, and had no connection with you, and again all the blame will be shifted on you. The whole system is full of sick peoples. Nobody will believe you. No I'll not let you do this. Have you heard the famous quote - It's always dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.'

Sandra paused for some time and asked. 'Tell me a person who will believe you?' 'For me it's enough, if you believe me,' Sunny said. She turned to look at him. There was a sparkling excitement hidden deep in her eyes. Sandra held him close and wept. 'Life is full of such hard choices. I don't consider myself completely innocent. Life sometimes sucks, and its sometimes total bullshit. We have to face it as it comes. All I wanted a simple job, people all over the world doing something for a earning. Why the hell did I've to be so unlucky?' said Sunny. Sandra was now sobbing openly. 'To me you're not a bad man. So what if you're not a good man.' She looked at him. 'Please Sunny. I can't live without you.' She leaned over the bed and covered Sunny's face with kisses. Sunny opened his eyes suddenly with a small proud smile on his face, and she closed her eyes contently. She was what she had been from the beginning and he had been wrong to try to change that. 'I think we just had out first fight. You're a damn stubborn woman Sandra.' In the late night they decided to leave immediately for a distant place away from Bombay, and away from New Delhi.

Three days later, the raids began. Central and state law enforcement agencies struck in dozen different cities, and raids were orchestrated to take place simultaneously. The sweeping raids continued for days together. Arrests were made in all cities. A van load of CBI officials arrived at Imran's house. A large undercover operation in law enforcement started, and it included CBI, Custom, Income tax and other government agencies. The scope of operation included murder, racketing, extortion, income tax evasion, bank frauds, loan sharking and drugs. Sunny had given them the key to their criminal activities and corruption that was going to help wipe out a major part of organized crime. Imran was hit hardest, but evidences touched dozens of other families around the country. Across the

country CBI were quietly questioning friends and business associates of the men on their lists. Small time fraudsters were pulled into the net, and it was done discreetly, so that the main accused would have no warning of the storm that was about to break over their heads. The sweeping raids continued for days together. Imran escaped the police dragnet by sheer chance. He had gone to attend a family function. Ten minutes after he left, a bus load of police arrived at Imran's home and another at his office, when they learned he was not- in either place, they settled down to wait. It took Imran less than five minutes to learn that a major disaster was taking place. His associates were being picked up and their bank s were being impounded. The police had to be obtaining information from someone in his organization. Imran called to other of organization, and all of them demanded to know what was going on. They were being badly hurt and no one knew where the leak was coming from. Sunny was missing and they all suspected it was only, Sunny. In the past police raids had always netted the small men. Now for the first time, the men at the top were being pulled in. Imran's family had been the hardest hit, and police was looking for him. Sunny had given police solid evidences; otherwise they never would have mounted a campaign this big. Sunny's disappearance was astonishing. 'He might be picked up by police,' thought Imran. It was difficult to believe that who else could have broken the net. Imran was unable to figure out why? For the first time in his life, his luck was going bad. It had started with disappearance of Sunny. The business was being run sloppily, and complaints were coming from people of organization who had never dared complain before. The word was out that Imran was getting old that he couldn't keep his men in line, and his organization was coming apart. Imran felt a deep chill go through him. There was only one thing wrong with it; Sunny was going to become a big problem for him. Imran had a heart of snake, a very intelligent snake. He wanted to kill all his arrested associates before they become witness or police compel them to break down. He felt the world crashing down around him. Sunny had been sneaking behind his back, conspiring against him, making a fool of him. The vengeance stirred strongly within him, Zarina was already dead, and Sunny was still alive, because he was out of his reach. He sat there and thought of his other

lieutenants. They had been with him from long time. Why would they betray him? They were a team and they had to be together. Imran was filled with murderous rage. Sunny was pulling him down, but he the first thing he had to do was arrange bail for his men- who had been arrested. He thought of Sunny and he felt the coldness creeping around his heart again, to move heaven and earth, but to get Sunny at all cost.

Imran was also remarkable fisherman. Only he had not caught the fish, the fish he most prized, that was because he could not find the right bait. He had burned lacs of rupees and hundreds of man-hours. He had tried to find Sunny through all possible was, yet he was simply vanished. He even didn't know his full name or his home address. Still with Imran's resources no one should be able to simply vanish. India was damn too big and damn too free. Imran had flashed his photo to all his s across the country. Imran sent a SMS to Sunny. 'Get back as fast as you can. I miss you.' He waited for Sunny's call for twenty four hours, and he had been able to think of nothing else. He had sat at his desk, mentally tracing Sunny. He thought that Sunny might be picked up by police. Soon he got a call from distance, but it was not, Sunny. 'I've located Sunny in Bombay.' Imran heard him and sat back for a while, then said, 'I've got a job for you.' 'Sure boss. What can I do for you?' 'Take care of Sunny.' Man asked surprisingly. 'I------I don't understand you, when you say, take care of him, you don't mean--------' Imran shouted, 'I mean blow his brain out of his head. Do you need a further clarification on this?' 'N--------No,' man stammered. 'It's just that I---------I-mean Sunny is your top

man!' 'You want me to tell me how to do my business?' Imran shouted again at him. 'No, I understand,' his man said submissively. Imran's hand tightened into fists. 'If he would be in Delhi, I would have taken care myself. Do you listen to me?' 'Sure, okay.'

Sandra had just finished breakfast and was pouring a second cup of coffee when Sunny came into the eating area right off from the bedroom. He was dressed in his usual manner, jeans and a long sleeved shirt. He poured a cup of coffee from the pot, and sat down next to her. 'Hope you slept well in night,' he said. 'Not bad.' At this moment Sunny got a SMS and he shrugged his shoulders, pretending a casualness he didn't feel. Sandra asked, 'What's that? 'Imran want to meet me.' 'Forget him, you will never meet him again,' her voice was commanding and with high spirit. 'I just don't want them using you again.' She turned and went back into the kitchen. He stared after her for a moment. That was what he liked about her. She was concerned and dependable. She was now with him, for him, and not even with herself. He followed her into the kitchen. 'There is nothing to fear,' said Sunny. 'I can handle whatever Imran throws my way, including him.' At this moment they heard a big thud at the door. It was forced open by a man holding gun in his hand. The man with gun raised the gun and fired at Sunny. He

moved at side and bullet hit the wall. Sunny caught the hand that fired at him, and hit hard across his face. He did not flinch. He hit him again, harder, then third time, and he fell on the floor. 'Get up and talk to Imran,' Sunny shouted. Man lay there, dizzy from the blows, trying to clear his head. Sunny gave a ring to Imran. Imran immediately picked his phone. 'Hello, Sunny I wonder where you are.' 'You must also be wondering how I got you're all information.' 'Sunny, we can talk-------' 'It was through Zarina, who got that from a diary of her father. I hope now you need no further clarifications,' said Sunny. 'Your days are over now, pray you don't get killed by me, which will be very painful.' and he cut off the connection. He looked towards Nancy. She had dropped her fork on the floor and Sandra was staring worriedly at him. He tried to smile, but his mouth couldn't manage it. Nancy looked at her father's face and watched an unnatural tremor in his voice and started crying. He picked her up and pressed her face against his. 'Hey doll. It's okay. It's over now. That's all.' She cupped his face with her hands and gave him the kind of penetrating stare that only little kids seemed able to master. 'You promise?' she said in a tiny voice. The undercurrents of fear in her question cut through Sunny's soul. He kissed her, so he wouldn't have to look into those pleading and piercing eyes. 'I'm fine,' he said and gave her a tickle and squeezed her little. He looked over to Sandra, who had recovered a bit from her own tremor. Suddenly the man on the floor gets up and rushed outside. Sunny tried to follow him but he was too swift. There was no need of chasing him as he was just a hired goon. Sunny looked at Sandra, she was shocked and embracing Nancy closely. 'It's over, don't panic,' said Sunny and took Nancy in his hand, he embraced her

and she felt relaxed. 'We just can't live here. What if tomorrow someone kill you, or kidnap Nancy? We have to move quickly as soon as possible,' said Sandra panicky. 'If someone really wants to kill me, all the policemen in the country can't stop him. If Imran don't get me today, he'll get me tomorrow. If he doesn't get me here, he'll get me somewhere else. It doesn't matter whether I'm a king, or a president, or just plain Sunny. Life is a very thin tread. It only takes a second to snap it. There's nothing--------- nothing at all we can do?' 'That's not fair. We just can't depend on our fate, Sunny. We have to find a way out and that too soon.' 'I can't leave you now and go,' said Sunny worriedly. 'I'm sorry this is happening to you.' 'So am I,' she smiled tiredly. 'I don't know how the hell you stand the strain.' 'I'm only worry about you and Nancy......, if something happens to you.' said Sunny. 'We've got to go away from here. That's all.' Sandra winced at his words. 'I can't think of anything anymore. I don't think the problem is you. The real problem is me. I was ing the CBI and bank authorities.' Then she explained it to him what was happening in bank. Sunny assured her they'd all be safe and in few days the man would be caught. It was just something they had to live with for a little while. 'What do you think?' asked Sandra and let her whole body sag against him and then said. 'Now I can't survive without you. Let's spend whole life together at a new place.' A smile drawn slowly in her eyes and she hugged him to her. 'You are the most extraordinary man.' 'In love with most remarkable woman of the world,' he said instantly. 'I would say we are quite an impressive couple, wouldn't you think so?' 'Yes, I would.' Her voice was soft as they lay together in bed.

18

The days following the incident were filled with fear and silent tension, yet at the same time relief that they were safely at home. There was no question of police protection, as the same was privilege for Ministers and VIPs, and then he was a fugitive. No police complaint could be filed. Imran was cunning he knew this thing very well, and now he knew their location too. They sat quietly for hours, and Sandra turned her attention to her daughter. Nancy was sick with high fever, may be due to shock. She had a fearful cough that racked her body again and again, and the fever that would not seem to abate, as Sandra sat ever near her. 'Nancy.......have a little coffee......just for me......' said Sandra. 'No, I can't, my throat hurt so much.' Nancy could barely speak and her skin was hot and dry as Sandra touched her. Sandra washed her face with wet towel, and spoke softly with her about her games in school during last week. 'Do you the silly things that puppy was doing that day?' 'Later.... my eyes hurt so much, mama.... I feel awful.' 'Okay, just try to sleep. I'll tell you all when you wake.' Sandra hoped that she would be well enough soon to travel with them. They were leaving at any time, and Sunny said they had to be well for travel. He tried hard to make Sandra feel better about things, and keep Nancy happy. 'What will happen, Sunny?' Sandra asked him that night with terrified eyes. 'What if we just stay here and these cons finally kill us. Do you think they'll attack again on us?' 'Don't be stupid, Sandra I'm with you all the time.' But she feared the same thing. There was no easy answer she knew. There was

nowhere else for them to go, nowhere was safe. They were trapped now at home. Sunny always seemed so calm, and he urged her not to worry. But how could she not?

Next day Sunny looked upset as he sat heavily in a chair in their drawing room and he looked exhausted. At this time Nancy came tiptoed silently from the bedroom and looked better and relaxed. Perhaps it was miracle, as Sunny stared at her. 'I couldn't sleep all night,' said Sandra and she sat across him. Surprisingly she looked fresh and excited. Sunny wondered what could be the reason. Sandra stared at him and said, 'Sunny I've made my mind, we have no choice, we can't sit here and wait Imran's men to come and kill us. Now they can attack on us anytime. Police will provide no protection, and why should they give. There's nothing we can do here. We all have to move, and as soon as possible.' 'Yes, you are right. It's my bad luck which is affecting you, and now you are also suffering with me. But where we will go?' 'Anywhere,' replied Sandra. 'Oh shit! I should've never come to you. He glared at her and stalked out of home, but came after two hours later. Sandra looked into his eyes as she thanked him. 'I'm sorry, Sandra........I just......I can't ever feel good about it when I think about you.' His voice drifted off and Sandra put her arms around his shoulders. 'You're so sweet. You know that. I'm a lucky person that I'm with you,' said Sandra. Sunny smiled. Nancy came near him and embraced his leg and then looked at Sandra, and asked. 'Are we going away from here?' 'Yes, darling, we are going with your papa.' 'Where?'

I don't know yet, but surely at some far distant place.' 'My doll and will also go with us.' 'Okay.' Nancy smiled and again asked. 'And my cycle also.' 'Okay dear.' 'Are we going to Kalimpong again?' 'May be, yes.' Decision was made by Nancy. Sandra looked at Sunny. 'Yes, we'll go in hills somewhere. I don't know........ Where,' said Sunny. 'You are right, we will make a small cozy cottage, a dream home, and we'll grow lots of flowers............and we will live with nature.' 'And butterflies will come in our home,' said Nancy. Sunny could not hide his smiles. 'All right we'll go. I guess you're right. We can't disappoint Nancy.' She put her arms around Nancy and hugged her tight. 'Thank you.' Nancy said cheerfully. In the night neither of them felt the need to speak, and it took less than two hours to Sandra to pack her dresses, her daughter's clothes, and some essentials for journey.

In the early morning, Sandra stood for a long moment watching her home. Sunny and Nancy were waiting her outside. Sandra tried valiantly not to cry, and not to think of now. She could not think of anything, and couldn't allow herself to look back, or even ahead, there was nothing to look forward to now. There was only this..........one tiny moment with her home where her baby was born,

grown, and played with her. 'Please God, don't let me cry now.........please.....' she prayed and tried to push herself out of home. 'Is everybody ready?' Sandra called from the kitchen, and looked around for a last time. She was closing the home, and her two large suitcases were ready outside, along with Nancy's small green vinyl suitcase, and back pack of Sunny. 'Come on, guys! We have to be far away from Bombay before sunrise. But still she knew nothing where were they going. They left the house, bowing their heads against the relentless wind in the early morning. Sandra strapped herself in to car and watch Sunny as he got behind the wheel. Nancy was sitting silently on back seat with sleepy eyes, and soon drifted in sleep. Sandra blew a kiss and they drove away from the house there was a wonderful upbeat feeling to their departure and soon she felt like going for holidays or picnic to a distant place. The things had been relaxed between them, but Sunny could see in her eyes that she was still confused, and lately she had been tired and nervous. Sunny had heard her keep muttering, 'they will kill us all.' Sandra had worked long hours at the home, collecting all important things she would need for her and Nancy. Sandra had no idea what would ever come of it, if anything happens wrong, and God only knew that would come. But Sunny reassured her that she had absolutely nothing to worry about. After awhile Nancy opened her eyes as car ran across the highway. She smiled to herself as she squinted to see the country side and she laughed. They said goodbye to Bombay. It was all like a dream as Sandra looked up with tears rolling slowly down her cheeks. Then looking at Sunny she said, 'Nothing to worry dear,' putting a hand over Sunny's shoulder. 'I told Nandu to dispose of all furniture and sell our home at best price available. He's sincere friend, he will deposit money in my bank and we will buy a good cottage, our dream home in the hills. Sunny nodded in agreement and darted the car on two-lane highway heavily travelled by trucks and automobiles. On the both sides of the highway were modern factories next to ancient huts. The car ed from farm after farm with men working in the field.

Sandra was not sure whether Sunny was listening to her or not, but she was saying, 'Life is always simple, we only make it complicated thinking it seriously,' and after sometime she looked at him and asked, 'Do you have a road map?' 'No.' Sunny responded. 'Don't worry, there is com needle in my purse, it always point to north and it's enough guide to drive,' Sandra said and looked at him amusingly. Sunny was not amused, but he said, 'Yes, you're right honey.' Now after looking Sunny, Sandra occupied with present and not obsessed with the past. She slumped back into a corner. She looked out the window while, letting the wind whip her hair. Sunny expertly threaded the car through the early morning highway traffic. Again absorbed in her thoughts Sandra cursed. 'Hell with Imran and his goons, hell with her job, and hell the system,' she told herself. 'We can't live with police or Imran's ghost. She looked at Sunny who was driving car, relaxed and listening to music. The same shy, arrogant, outrageous, tough, and loving he was. Now he was father of her daughter. The only thing that had changed for him was, now he looked little matured. 'Mom, don't you think my bike got rusty?' asked Nancy, and she was staring outside the car, hugging her doll, and looking totally happy. 'I don't know, love. We'll have to see when we get there,' said Sandra plainly and realized suddenly how desperately Nancy needed her father. By the nightfall they travelled about four hundred kilometers when Sunny decided to stay in a motel on highway. The room was comfortably furnished, but there was nothing fancy about it. It looked like a grandmother's house, with a porch. At first it had a rusty smell which went away in a few minutes, and they were wonderfully relaxed after dinner. Nancy was obviously in a playful mood. 'How long do you think, we can go on like this?' asked Sandra. 'Have a heart,' Sunny laughed. 'It was first day; we have to travel at least three more days to reach Nainital.' 'What! Are we going to Nainital to settle?' and she looked at him in amazement.

'No only for a while, to see a six years old boy.' 'Who is that?' 'I told you about Zarina and her son. Her son is studying in a Nainital school. I owe her a debt to save my life, and she helped me to meet you again.' Sandra looked at him amazed. 'Yes, Sunny, we can't forget her favors. We will adopt her son; actually we owe her more than that. Nancy will be happy to find her brother.' 'Yes, you're right. I tell you one interesting thing Zarina told me once, perhaps she had read in some book. She asked me, do you know what is the most beautiful thing in the world? Do you know of what our soul made of? Do you know for what one can die for? Then she asked, for what one can even kill someone? The probable answer to all these questions is Love.' 'Yes, that's right. Perhaps love is the strongest emotion we all have.' Sunny turned on television to see news at nine o' clock. Raids were continued and s of so called Imran's business houses were being impounded and searched. 'Screw them all,' she thought to herself, and for the first time in years she felt free, to do what she wanted to do, to be herself to make up her own mind without considering a danger.

Imran had risen from his bunker once more and wondered if his beloved army had grown so weak and incompetent that he was going to have to pull the damn trigger himself on Sunny. After a fruitless nationwide search they'd had a wonderful absolutely golden opportunity at Sunny's home, and it had come to naught. The house was now empty; Sunny with his family was gone. And he now had to change his strategy. With the overpowering force under him he would take command of the search. He had unlimited people, assets and money. It would only be a matter of time. He started implementing his attack. Still the mission required delicacy, stealth, and when the target was sighted and fixed, an unstoppable show of force to be

applied. He had been working the phones ever since he'd talked to Sunny. He had been thinking a lot in the last few hours and he'd arrived at a decision. Normally, in any confrontation, Imran's instinct was to trade blows until the other guy fell down. He was not going to do that this time, for a lot of reasons. Chief among them was he knew Sunny had exposed him, and he may have a police protection, then it was not favorable field to fight him. He had to have a backup plan also, in case his plan didn't go perfectly. He didn't want to take anything for chance. Sometimes thing go so badly you weren't sure if you were going to wake up the next day. Unpredictability was a powerful thing. Imran first called his ant, instructing him to park a ton of cash in a safe place offshore with instant access for him, and untraceable by anyone else. With money you could do anything. He gathered all his money papers, including port ready in case of need. He also had his jet to fly offshore in case he needed it. Next he phoned another associate of his, a very trusted man who had one unique talent. He could make anything go boom. Imran had told him what he wanted and man said he could have it ready in four hours delivered. Imran offered to pay his asking price and added one lac as bonus, on top of it. 'You must need it badly,' the man said. It was true; Imran really did need the bomb badly. Ironically, such devices almost always killed people, lots of people.

When Sunny woke up next morning, he reached over to the other side of bed. Sandra was in bathroom and Nancy was playing with her doll, and reciting a poem for her. After breakfast Sunny began driving slowly on highway. Nancy with her little hands started braiding Sandra's hairs. Sandra closed her eyes and took a deep breath looking innocent and happy. It was such a perfect life, untouched by realities of life. After four hours travelling Sandra saw a McDonald's sign ahead on highway and

said, 'I suddenly realized I'm starving, Sunny.' Sunny parked the car in a side lane near McDonald's. 'A super size food for me,' Sandra said. 'Me too,' said Nancy. Sunny hoofed in to the McDonald's. Where he super-sized them as this might be one of their last meals. Soon they were travelling again. Sandra glanced outside at a milestone then asked, 'Are we going towards New Delhi? You tell me.' She had angry expression on her face. 'Yes, that's right. They will never expect us driving towards New Delhi. They will check railway stations, airport, and all roads leading to east or south.' 'Sunny I'm not letting you near Imran, he'll kill you as soon he sees you,' said Sandra. She had worried expressions on her face. 'I've to do this for a lot of reasons.' 'What if something goes wrong?' Sunny stared coldly at her, the anger narrowed in her eyes. And then her expression cleared. Then she said, 'we just came out of hell,' ing the incident of attack on Sunny. 'Past is gone,' said Sunny. 'When we look back and know that we had a tough time, wasted an opportunity, or made some mistake, we create an imaginary hell out of it. In my solitude I've learnt that we should not anticipate any hell and keep going over and over the fact that I can't make any progress. It's better to say at that moment; I made some mistakes, but I was not a coward. I tried my best in those circumstances and did what I had to do. It is enough to keep trying and avoid unhappiness.' After a while he again said, 'When we are depressed, we should think that it is just a ing anxiety. We should say our usual prayers, respect nature and contemplate the beauty around us.

Sunny looked at Nancy, who was also listening to him intently. She smiled and then innocently said, 'I also do pray in morning and in night, mom told me.' Sandra couldn't hide her smile at listening to her. She sat back. 'Sunny, it's possible we may encounter them in the way. We need to formulate a plan, keeping in mind that Imran has enormous resources, but he cannot move with agility, while we can.' 'Yes, I've thought about it. And I know what I want to do. And you're going to sit with me and listen. And you're going to do exactly as I say.' 'Yes.' She said. Sunny stared at her He had never heard this tone of voice, seem this calm confidence before in her. She was even sitting up straighter!

Imran sat on his desk, impatiently drumming his fingers on pad waiting for the phone to ring. And when it rang, he grabbed the receiver before the second ring. The caller had spotted Sunny's car in a parking lot of hotel on highway. Sunny had checked in a room on first floor of the hotel, their window facing the highway. Sunny was awake, he slipped to the window and looked out. Down in highway at a distance was a black van that had no number plate. His fear was confirmed when he grabbed a pair of binoculars from his bag and used them to take a close look. Then he raced to Sandra clamping a hand over her mouth in case she screamed at being awoken from a deep sleep, he whispered. 'Someone's outside.'

After half an hour Sunny came down at the hotel lounge leaving, Sandra and Nancy in the room. Nancy was sleeping peacefully. Imran's men saw him coming. A smile eased across their faces as they looked at him. 'You're Sunny?' one guy asked. 'No, I'm the king of Bombay, dam-shit.' 'How the hell did you say that,' said the guy. Then with his nervous fingers he unsnapped the flap on his revolver and rubbed his thumb the butt of his

magnum. 'What are you planning to shoot me?' Sunny grinned. The guy was about as afraid and panicked. Sunny recognized him. Funny thing, how a man who had once almost killed him in a road accident could seem so insignificant and oddly pathetic? 'I would have bet my life that you were dead, Sunny. I even told Imran that I was sure of it.' 'And what did he say?' Sunny held up a restraining hand. 'No don't tell. Let me guess. He was not sure as you were that I was dead. What Imran had done now, put out another death warrant on me?' 'Imran doesn't believe you're here at the border of New Delhi, that's for sure,' his voice quivered ever so slightly. 'I came here to see you myself if it were really you.' 'It's really me.' 'Yes, well, now you're wanted alive before Imran.' The guy surveyed Sunny from head to toe, his gaze searching as if looking for any sign of weapon. If you knew what's good for you, you would have never come here.' 'Oh, that's the problem with me. I never did know, what was good for me, Did I?' Sunny said. 'If you don't want to come with us, I would finish Imran's job here.' He stuck out chest and tilted up his chin with false pride. 'Are you threatening me?' Sunny's smile widened. 'No, giving you a friendly warning.' The guy rubbed his sweating palm up and down on either side of his gun. Now Sunny loved watching him sweating, he knew these guys will never kill him, because Imran wanted him alive. Large circles of moisture spread out under his arms and stained his immaculate shirt. A crimson flush tinted his cheeks. Perspiration dampened his entire face and trickled down his neck and beneath

his collar. Sunny smelled fear. It was a scent he recognized easily. Men, who do wrong things, always had that odor about them. In his working with Imran he had seen that kind of fear in many a man. And now, his presence- his very existence- had scared the shit out of the guy. 'I'm just giving you a friendly advice to leave this place, and go away at some distant place. I'll tell Imran, you were not the guy he was looking for.' 'I'm not leaving,' Sunny said. The throbbing pulse in guy's neck protruded. 'I'm going to be honest with you, Sunny. If you haven't gone away immediately, police is going to find you and put you in jail. And Imran can arrange for an accident to happen while you're still in jail. Do I make myself clear?' The guy said keeping one hand near his gun. He balled other hand into a tight fist. Nobody had challenged Sunny in that condescending tone. When the guy moved cautiously towards the door Sunny blocked his path. The scent of fear intensified and his expression one of sheer terror. The guy wasn't more than five-feet-three look up at Sunny, who was stood a good seven inches taller. When Sunny slapped his big hand down on guy's shoulder, the man shuddered and swallowed hard. Their gazes met and locked. Fear collided head on with fearlessness. 'Let me make myself perfectly clear to you,' Sunny said. 'I'm not running out of here, and I'll stay here as long as I want to stay. Nobody is going to scare me out. You all will find it a lot harder to get rid of me now.' 'You're making a big mistake, going against Imran.' 'No, he's is the one who just made his mistake by colliding with me. Tell him that his time in this earth is over, there's a bad star is rising in his horoscope, or horror-scope whatever it is. So he'd better start reciting his last rites.' Soon two men expertly searched Sunny without saying a word, then they shoved him across the van, they had come with. Sunny hit the sidewall and slumped down. The guy got on the phone and relayed the news to Imran.

Imran was sitting in his den, he felt foolish, and that made him dangerously bad tempered. He rose from the chair where he had been sitting and waiting for Sunny to return in his empire. He was delighted at getting a hold of his enemy, but he also didn't like it, because that meant Sandra, or whatever her name was not there with him. She had exposed his way of working to banks and to CBI to ruin him. 'Bring him,' he instructed his man. Sunny had come on his own, he didn't want to involve or hurt Sandra in it. He wanted to keep her at distance. They had hatched a plan of action in case they come cross Imran or his goons.

Sunny was hustled by Imran's men in the middle, one on his left and other on his right. The van reached Imran's mansion in early morning. As soon Imran saw Sunny he screamed in uncontrolled fury, and after three deep breaths later he hit him right in the mouth. Sunny fell back against the van and tried to get to Imran, but Imran's men hold him back. Sunny spat blood out of his mouth, then looked around at armed men surrounding him. Imran sat down on a chair; his gaze never left Sunny's face. 'So you thought you're very smart, isn't it?' Sunny said nothing. Imran gazed at Sunny, his dark eyes filled with questions and accusations. He speared his fingers together, locking those cross ways and rubbing the heels of his palms with thumbs. He sighed loudly and then he took a serrated knife out of his jacket pocket and slipped on a plastic glove. 'Oh, I can be pretty dame persuasive.' He looked at his men and nodded. A minute later, Sunny's hands were tied on his back. 'I used this technique on other men, who ever tried to cheat me, or tried to run away with my money. And let me tell you something. Zarina cried and cried before we beat her brain out. In fact, that was the way I was able to get my revenge. If you tell me why you did it with me, I promise I'll kill you fast, no

pain, just one bullet and your brain out. Do you understand me?' 'You're a son of bitch.' Imran slapped him across the face. 'I'm your boss, show some respect.' 'Here's my respect.' Sunny said and spat in his face. 'That's my respect for you now.' 'Do you know Sunny how Zarina was killed, and you know what she said? She said, 'Why are you doing this uncle? Why are you going to kill me? I didn't do anything to you. And you know what I told her? I said, because you let Sunny go away. And then I pumped a round right into her brain. Now anything else you want to know about it before I start carving you up?' 'No, that's enough for the day,' a woman's voice said. They all turned as Sandra and a police inspector walked in from behind. Inspector had his service revolver pointed right at Imran, while four guns held by Imran's men pointed back at him and Sandra. Imran said, 'how the hell did you get here?' 'I came with CBI,' said Sandra. 'Nobody could've followed my men.' 'We didn't tail them, police followed you, and they wanted to know where you are. This place is already surrounded, Imran. You've got no way out.' 'Yes? Working with CBI? Look baby, now you con me second time, shit on me.' Imran's voice was confident, but his look was something less than that. Police Inspector yelled. 'So just lay your weapons down before you don't have a choice in the matter.' 'Kill them,' Imran said. A split second later door burst open and ten policemen in body armor came barreling in, sub-machine guns in hand.

'It's CBI, put down your weapons, now!' Imran dropped the knife and his men quickly put down their guns in the face of the overpowering show of police force. Imran's gaze went from Sandra to Sunny. 'Two con artists working with the CBI?' he said and then looked at police inspector and immediately regained his swagger. 'This guy was working with me, and then he ripped my empire. Did he bother mentioning that to you?' 'That's not my concern.' 'Oh yes, so what exactly am I being charged with?' 'Besides kidnapping and assault, you're being charged with murder of Zarina Imran.' Imran snored. 'I got a dozen eyewitnesses who'll testify I wasn't around when she got killed.' Sandra held up her cell-phone. 'We've got your whole confession right here, Imran. You speak very clearly.' She gave her phone to the Inspector. Imran looked at Inspector, Sunny, and then his gaze came to rest on Sandra. 'Well, I guess this is it,' he said and then his hand slipped in to his pocket.' 'Hold it,' Inspector shouted. 'Take your hand out very slowly.' Imran did so. His hand cupped around something. He said, 'This in detonator, and my thumb in on a right place. I got a bomb in my jeep outside that'll blow everything and everyone within a hundred meters. Sky-high, you know!' He nodded at the Inspector, 'See you for yourself if you don't believe me.' The Inspector nodded to one of his men. The man looked in the back of vehicle. His glance back at his commander said it all. Imran said, 'Now here's what we're going to do.' With his free hand he pointed at Sunny and Sandra. 'They're coming with me.'

'We're not letting you leave this building,' Inspector said. 'Then I'm going to blow us all.' 'You can't do that,' Inspector again said. 'If you don't think I'll do it, you don't know Sanjay Imran then.' He glanced at two policemen who had placed their gun on his head. 'And your men shoot me, my thumb is coming off whether you like it or not.' The Inspector gazed uneasy at Sunny and then Sandra. Sunny stepped forward. 'Okay, Imran, you win. Let's go. Sandra will not come with us.' Sandra stepped forward too. 'I'm coming too.' 'No, you're not, Sandra.' Sunny snapped. Imran smiled maliciously. He eyed at the Inspector. 'Just so you know I'm a fair guy, I'll let them go when my plane take off.' He glanced at Sunny. 'I'm sorry to say you two won't be ing me in plane.'

Sunny and Sandra slid into the middle seat of van. Imran and one of his men got in the front seat, two others in the rear. Sunny assessed his position, he was sitting right behind Imran, and in his right was Sandra behind the driver seat. All seats' back were up to shoulder's height. Imran rolled down the window. 'If I see any vehicle following me, I'll blow them one by one, understand?' He waved to the police inspector, as the van sailed out of his mansion. 'Where to, Mr. Imran?' the driver asked. 'Straight to the private airport in the west wing, where I had them parks my plane. I'm calling them to warm it up.' Sunny sit very still in his seat, his gaze on Imran's movement. Sandra kept her

eyes forward, looking nowhere. 'So what's the plan?' Sunny said. 'Dump us in the way to the airport?' 'What the hell does it matter to you? You're going to die anyway.' 'But once you get rid of us, you've got no more hostages. You think they're going to let you just fly away?' 'You've got no idea, I've my plane here. I'll be away from police jurisdiction in a couple of hours.' 'We have extradition with just about every country.' 'I know the gaps there, trust me.' 'What about your business here?' Imran turned around to grin at him. 'You think a guy like me doesn't have plenty of money out of country?' 'I'm sure you do have, but sitting with a bomb doesn't suit your style, Mr. Imran.' Imran smiled, 'This is called unpredictability. You never learnt from me.' 'But in that case you'll blow your men also. Isn't it?' The men at rear seat looked at each other. The driver was shaken and looked at detonator in Imran's hand. Imran sensed it and put detonator on the dashboard of van. 'Fear is a great emotion people have.' 'Fear and courage, both are great emotions, I read in a book, Imran.' Sunny corrected him. Imran looked confused, and didn't say anything. He was thinking something else. After a while the driver saw a stray dog in the middle of way. He blew a horn and then slowed down the van. The dog immediately moved away. 'Mr. Imran do you know, survival is the basic instinct not only in human beings, even with dogs,' said Sunny. Men at rear seat again looked at each other. The driver was shaken.

'So what's plan now, Imran? Do you still want to blow the van with all in us?' Sunny asked. 'Anyway, we're going to die, either by bullet, or by bomb, its same thing, no hope.' Sunny said with disappointed face and then looked at Sandra. She was smiling weakly. Men at rear seats watched them and then they glanced at each other amused. 'Would you like to know why you're not going to get away, Imran?' Sunny said. 'You'll stop me?' He growled. 'Tell me, I'm just dying to know.' Sunny bent forward, with a jerk he put his left hand around his neck and speedily grabbed the detonator from dash board with his free right hand. It was well within his hand's reach, he knew that. Imran's men at rear raised their guns towards Sunny's head. Sandra sat calmly. 'Put your guns down, or I'll blow the van.' Sunny commanded. 'We're going to die anyway. What do you think, Imran? In other wonderland I'll tell you more stories. I hope you'll like them all.' The driver was shaken completely, his foot pressed hard on brake. The van came to halt with a screech. Men at rear seats opened the door and then ran fast backward as if some ghost was chasing them. Sunny watched them running in rear-view mirror. 'I've four children to feed, sir,' pleaded shaken driver. 'Nobody gave you idea of family planning? After all our government is spending a hell lot of money on these campaigns.' Imran was not amused, he was confused looking nowhere. Sandra took a gun from her rear and pointed at Imran's head. Sunny exchanged detonator with a gun. Sunny hit the butt of gun on Imran's head and he fell down like a potato sack. The driver opened the door and ran ahead of van. Sunny didn't try to stop him. Sunny tied Imran's hand on his back. He sat at driver's seat, and Sandra kept gun pointed at Imran all the way from her seat back at hotel. Nancy was still sleeping. Sandra called police and filled them with what happened after Imran made them hostage.

Soon a police team arrived and arrested Imran. Sunny took bath and ordered breakfast. When they were ready to move Sunny felt little awkward. Sandra immediately sensed it and laughed. Nancy curiously asked. What happened?' 'Nothing,' Sandra said. Sunny's waist belt was gone with Imran. Sunny had tied Imran's hands with that.

19

After crossing over hundred kilometers, Sandra asked if she could drive. Sunny stopped the car after driving another four kilometers at a hotel. They had their heavy breakfast in morning, and there was no need to eat anything now. He bought a bottle of red wine from a liquor shop. Now Sandra started driving. Sunny started sipping it from bottle, then he offered the bottle to her, but she refused saying driving and drinking is not good. Nancy wanted her share, and when Sunny gave bottle to Nancy, Sandra was angry. Nancy sipped, it was smelly and bitter, and she turned her face after a gulp, and returned the bottle to Sunny. 'Why you gave her?' Sandra looked at him questioningly. 'Girls are not supposed to drink dirty things.' 'Forget that, she will have good sleep after one more sip.' Sunny said slowly. 'No, don't do it.' Sandra said angrily. After a while Nancy felt the effect of alcohol, and she started laughing. Everything about her was now intense, her eyes, her hair, the way she moved her hands or darted across the seat, or threw her arms around her dad. She was small but filled with power and life, excitement. Sandra could not hide her smile looking her playful, and she forget her problems for a while. Then there was an empty silence between them for a long time. Sunny suddenly ed one of his distant cousins. He thought of meeting him. He searched his notebook in his backpack and dialed his number, and discussed the possibilities of settling down there. The things came out very positive, and Jaspal happily assured his . A smile on the face of Sunny confirmed Sandra that a destination was discovered. Jaspal had a flourishing business of pharmaceutical manufacturing in Solan, and living with his wife and two children. Jaspal had insisted first to stay with him for a while, and he promised he'll soon find a good accommodation near his home for them.

After that Sandra was like an excited child hearing the news. Her eyes had alive again, and was excited to start new life. 'We just can't go any place and settle down. We need someone initially known to us in new town. Jaspal is my cousin and good friend. We were in same school and same class then he went to other college for study of pharmacy,' said Sunny. Sandra listens to him happily and felt relaxed. And Sunny again said, 'Once Jitubhai told me, that nature has no accidents, with him everything is organized, and everything has a purpose. And my mother once told me, that with God all things are possible, and the kingdom of God is within us and whatever we ask in our prayer, we ought to receive.' 'Yes, you're right.' She said with tears in her eyes. After a while she stopped the car on the road side before a temple, and asked them to wait her in car. When Sunny offered to accompany her she refused. 'In temple drunks are not allowed.' Nancy giggled listening to her, and Sunny couldn't hide his smile. After that journey was more a fun, as they know where they will be going. 'We will not be dependent on any one, though we are all live in society, and are some or the other way dependent on each other. We can't live in isolation. We will buy some fine gifts for them before we go. Now tell me what are the likings of your cousin?' asked Sandra. There was no answer from Sunny, and he was boozing silently, his wine had done its effect now. Sandra thought of the new home they will make soon, a cottage with small garden with many flowers. They had a new life ahead. She was not even thirty years old and life had only just begun for her.

Sandra had bought a new frock for Nancy and a bracelet for Sunny. And the night before they reached Nainital, she gave Sunny the wedding gift she had wrapped in a small velvet box. She had no time and no thought about it in the urgency to pack up things. Sunny when opened it was a shining bracelet with

their name engraved. 'It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen......oh, no.....no, the third most beautiful,' he said smiling. Sandra looked at him with disappointed eyes. She had wanted him to love it as much as she did. It meant so much to her. She had selected it after looking many similar things for him. 'And what are the first and second, dear?' she asked. 'It's Nancy and You. You both are the most beautiful and best,' said Sunny. Sandra laughed at him loudly. Nancy came forward from back seat to know what the matter was. 'We are part of you, idiot, not commodities,' said Sandra. Nancy giggled and put a hand on her mouth listening to her mother calling him, idiot.

Sandra saw their trip came to an end with a happy mood and they had good time, in the way. After a while Sunny asked Sandra looking her gloom. 'You look so occupied?' and she turned to see Sunny looking at her gently. She looked at him with a shy smile. Her hair was blowing in the wind, and she looked more rugged than ever. 'Sunny, I think you had more tough life, than you told me,' said Sandra. 'The past doesn't matter anymore now. Your love was a com which strangely directed me all the time. I don't feel sorry for myself. I had choices and I made them, just me. If my life is screwed up, it's because I screwed it up, nobody else,' said Sunny. Sandra rubbed her eyes, and using a rubber band from her purse pulled her hair in to a ponytail. She looked out to road without looking at him, and he longed to touch her hand, to make her smile, to make her feel happy. She was so serious, and just then, almost solemn.

'The past is only worth what it makes of us. It was difficult to come back to you, but I'm glad I did it,' said Sunny. She nodded wishing she knew more about his life than the little he had told her. 'It must have been rough there during all those years. I would've come to you, if I knew where you were. I never left the hope to meet you again,' she said and her eyes grew serious again. 'And it was hard for you in Bombay,' said Sunny. Sandra on hearing him slipped back into her seat with a barely concealed gloat. Before Sunny could continue, she said. 'Yes, it was. But our fate is easier now. I always thought during all these years, that if my life ever got comfortable again. I had never taken it for granted again, but it did. Now I appreciate everything...............all of It.' She didn't want to frighten Nancy who was listening to them from behind seat embracing her doll. She looked so beautiful, as she stood lost in her thoughts, and smiled up at them. 'Yes, none of past is important now,' Sandra said smilingly. 'But will these law makers and people in authority will ever realize our feelings and pains. They are emotionless, thick skinned people, who consider corruption is their birth right. These raids and punishments are nothing, what misery and despair we've suffered in these years.' Her eyes again filled with tears and he took her hand, marveling at how strong she was, how brave she had been. It was like meeting someone from other world, a world that had always fascinated and mystified him.

They spent one more day on highways to reach Nainital. On reaching at school they were informed that the son of Zarina Imran Khan was withdrawn from the school and was taken by his father. They had no choice, then to pray for him a long and happy life. When they came out of school Sandra called Nandu from her mobile phone. He immediately picked up and asked, 'Where're you?'

'We're miles away, anything new?' 'Yes, I called you many times, but your phone was switched off. I've found a buyer for your house. Money will be deposited in your by end of this month.' 'Thank you very much. You're of great help to us.' 'One more thing, not founding at home I went to your bank. I met new Deputy General Manager of bank who recently took over charge of bank. He told me Sunny had done a right thing. He could've just ignored what he had experienced. But he decided to do something about it instead. A real hero, he took a lot of risk. Nandu paused for a while then said. 'I know he did it, because he loves you and Nancy.' Nandu was not about to disclose that Sunny's decision to disclose evidences against Imran played a prominent role in getting a reward from Chief Minister to her. Sandra listened to him through tear filled eyes, and then said. 'If he loved us so much, why did he choose to do something that was so dangerous, so............It doesn't make sense..........any sense. O' God, I thought I had lost him forever.' Nandu considered this for a moment, cleared his throat and started speaking very slowly. 'First of all, you have to understand that Sunny is not guilty of his charges, he has been a victim in the whole affair. What, even if he's a bad guy? I take this, as he loved you and Nancy so much he would've done anything for you. I mean everything.' 'Oh' my God. I don't know...............' 'Please Sandra let me finish. Believe me. It took a lot of guts to get this sort of courage. Sunny spent all his time trying to make you happy. Sometime people do the dumbest things for the very best reason. Hell at the end of day, that's all that really matters. That's the only memory you ever have to keep.' Neither broke the silence for a minute, and finally Nandu said; 'Yesterday Imran was arrested from his hideout. Haven't you read today's head line in newspaper? A government cheque of substantial amount was deposited in your bank . I don't know exactly, probably in seven figure, or even more. You can check it from your laptop.'

'I don't understand it,' said Sandra. 'There was reward from government for information leading to the arrest of person responsible for those massive frauds.' 'But, I didn't do anything to earn this.' 'I don't think so; the reward doesn't even come close to being enough. That there's not enough money in the world that could be enough for what you and Sunny have done. Sandra wiped at her eyes and said, 'Thank you, Nandu.' Nandu could barely hear the words, and then talked to Sunny that with the help of one senior advocate he could arrange for an honorable discharge from court for him. 'That's enough for me,' said Sunny grimly. 'Now I don't have any painful feeling in my guts and I've no reason to get mixed up with court and police any more. All I want to start a new life.' Nandu tried to change his mind, until he realized that Sunny was right. Besides, he thought, according to the precedents established by courts Sunny couldn't sue anyone including police for his arrest.

In the way to Solan they stopped at Chandigarh for a while, and Sandra first time met her mother-in-law and Nancy to her grandmother.

*****