(London – 9:00 AM)
Do hafte ki endless search ke baad...
Atishay Kapoor ke paas finally ek proper lead thi.
Ek university ka naam.
Aur ek department.
Uske assistant ne raat bhar records verify kiye the.
Assistant:
"Sir, we've confirmed the university."
Atishay apni chair se uthta hai.
Atishay:
"Finally."
Assistant ke haath mein file thi.
Assistant:
"But there's one problem."
Atishay ki eyebrows raise hoti hain.
Atishay:
"What?"
Assistant:
"The university has several branches across London."
Atishay kuch seconds tak chup rehta hai.
Atishay:
"How many?"
Assistant:
"Five major branches, sir."
Atishay bina kisi hesitation ke apna coat uthata hai.
Atishay:
"Then we'll start with the branch connected to the gala invitation."
Assistant:
"Yes, sir."
───
(London – University Branch)
Ek black luxury car university ke main entrance ke saamne aakar rukti hai.
Atishay car se bahar nikalta hai.
Black suit...
Luxury watch...
Cold expression...
Uske peeche uska assistant aur security team bhi bahar aati hai.
University ke staff members Atishay ko dekhkar surprise ho jaate hain.
Kuch hi minutes mein university ka Principal khud entrance tak aa jaata hai.
Principal:
"Mr. Kapoor... it's an honour to have you here."
Atishay sirf formal smile karta hai.
Atishay:
"I need a favour."
Principal politely nod karta hai.
Principal:
"Of course, sir."
Atishay seedha point par aata hai.
Atishay:
"I want to meet every professor working at this branch."
Principal thoda surprised ho jaata hai.
Principal:
"Every professor?"
Atishay:
"Yes."
Principal kuch samajh nahi pata.
Principal:
"May I ask why?"
Atishay ki aankhon ke saamne ek baar phir wahi masked girl ki image aa jaati hai.
Atishay:
"I met someone at the gala."
Wo ek second rukta hai.
Atishay:
"She was a professor."
Principal ki expression change ho jaati hai.
Principal:
"I see."
Atishay:
"I need to meet everyone."
Principal apne assistant ko instructions deta hai.
Principal:
"Please gather all available professors in the conference hall."
───
(University – Conference Hall)
Kuch hi der mein hall mein professors ek-ek karke enter karne lagte hain.
Atishay unhe carefully observe karta hai.
Pehli professor...
Not her.
Dusri...
Not her.
Third...
Not her.
Fourth...
Not her.
Atishay ki excitement dheere-dheere disappear hone lagti hai.
Lekin phir bhi wo har professor ko dhyan se dekhta hai.
Har face...
Har pair of eyes...
Har expression...
Lekin...
None of them were her.
Last professor bhi room se bahar chali jaati hai.
Atishay kuch seconds tak bilkul chup khada rehta hai.
Uske assistant ki nazar uske face par padti hai.
Kuch der pehle jo excitement uski aankhon mein thi...
Ab wahan sirf disappointment tha.
Atishay dheere se Principal ki taraf mudta hai.
Atishay:
"Is that everyone?"
Principal nod karta hai.
Principal:
"Yes, Mr. Kapoor."
Atishay kuch seconds chup rehta hai.
Phir ek sawaal poochta hai—
Atishay:
"Is anyone absent today?"
Principal apni attendance file check karta hai.
Principal:
"Yes... actually, one professor is absent."
Atishay ki aankhon mein ek second ke liye hope wapas aati hai.
Atishay:
"Male or female?"
Principal file check karta hai.
Principal:
"Female."
Atishay ka expression suddenly change ho jaata hai.
Uski heartbeat tez ho jaati hai.
Atishay:
"Who is she ? "
Principal file ki taraf dekhta hai.
Principal:
"She is our Accounts professor."
Atishay ek step forward leta hai.
Atishay:
"Where is she?"
Principal:
"She hasn't come to the university today."
Atishay ki voice aur serious ho jaati hai.
Atishay:
"Her address."
Principal immediately uncomfortable ho jaata hai.
Principal:
"I'm sorry, Mr. Kapoor, but I can't give a professor's personal address to anyone."
Atishay kuch seconds tak usse dekhta rehta hai.
Atishay:
"Anyone?"
Principal politely nod karta hai.
Principal:
"It's a matter of privacy."
Atishay apne assistant ki taraf dekhta hai.
Assistant turant ek briefcase lekar aata hai.
Atishay briefcase kholta hai.
Usme se ek cheque nikalta hai.
Wo cheque Principal ke saamne rakh deta hai.
Principal ki nazar cheque par padti hai.
Uski aankhen shock se badi ho jaati hain.
£100,000,000
One Hundred Million Pounds.
Atishay bilkul calm expression ke saath bolta hai—
Atishay:
"University ke liye donation."
Principal kuch seconds tak cheque ko dekhta rehta hai.
Atishay:
"Ab bhi privacy ka issue hai?"
Principal uncomfortable hokar Atishay ki taraf dekhta hai.
Phir cheque ki taraf.
Phir dobara Atishay ki taraf.
Aakhirkaar...
Principal ek deep breath leta hai.
Principal:
"I'll give you the address."
Atishay ke lips par halki si smile aa jaati hai.
Atishay:
"Good."
Principal ek paper par address likhta hai.
Paper fold karke Atishay ko de deta hai.
Atishay paper kholta hai.
Address ko dekhta hai.
Uski aankhon mein ek alag hi excitement aa jaati hai.
Atishay:
"Thank you."
Wo paper carefully apni pocket mein rakh leta hai.
Phir assistant ki taraf dekhta hai.
Atishay:
"Let's go."
───
(London – A Few Minutes Later)
Black luxury car London ki roads par full speed mein ja rahi thi.
Atishay back seat par baitha tha.
Uske haath mein wahi address tha.
Do hafte...
Hundreds of CCTV clips...
Dozens of false leads...
Aur finally...
Ek address.
Uski heartbeat normal nahi ho rahi thi.
Uske dimaag mein wahi masked girl thi.
Wahi eyes...
Wahi voice...
Wahi mysterious smile...
Atishay dheere se khud se kehta hai—
Atishay:
"Maybe today..."
Wo window ke bahar dekhta hai.
Atishay:
"...I'll finally meet you."
Car ek residential street mein enter karti hai.
Atishay seedha address check karta hai.
Car ek building ke saamne ruk jaati hai.
Driver car rok deta hai.
Assistant Atishay ki taraf dekhta hai.
Assistant:
"Sir... we've arrived."
Atishay kuch seconds tak building ko dekhta rehta hai.
Phir car ka door kholta hai.
Wo bahar nikalta hai.
Uski heartbeat aur tez ho jaati hai.
Wo building ke entrance ki taraf badhta hai.
Ek-ek step...
Jaise har step usse us mysterious girl ke aur kareeb le ja raha ho.
Atishay finally door ke saamne khada hota hai.
Wo apna haath doorbell ki taraf badhata hai...
Ek second ke liye rukta hai.
Uski aankhon mein excitement...
Curiosity...
Aur ek ajeeb si anticipation thi.
Phir...
DING DONG.
Atishay ki aankhen door par tiki rehti hain.
Andar se footsteps ki awaaz aati hai...
Koi door ki taraf aa raha tha.
Atishay ki heartbeat aur tez ho jaati hai.
Door handle dheere-dheere move hota hai...
And the door begins to open...
TO BE CONTINUED... ❤️‍🔥