more comfortable.'
Her accent didn't sound like she was from India.
'Comfortable? I feel like I'm in Guantanamo Bay or something right now. So if you are the CIA, what comes next? Torture?'
The woman flinched at his harsh words, then regained her composure.
'Nothing like that will happen. I have some fresh clothes for you. Just leave your old clothes in the bag and we'll get them cleaned.'
Realizing how dishevelled his clothes must look, he grudgingly took the bag. As the woman turned to leave, he realized he did have something else on his mind.
'Excuse me, how do I, err, go to the bathroom?'
She smiled, something Aaditya found himself enjoying despite everything.
'Just ask,'she answered. Then, seeing Aaditya's quizzical expression, 'Just say aloud whatever you want. Try it, it's fun.'
As she walked out, Aaditya thought jail cell or not, why not give it a try? Feeling a bit silly, he said aloud, 'I'd like to go to the bathroom please.'
To his shock, a section of the wall slid open, revealing a fully furnished bathroom. When he was done, he changed into the clothes the woman had left. They were a plain white full sleeve top and track pants. But when he slid them on, they tightened around him, fitting him perfectly. Not bad, he thought. Then he said aloud, 'Can I get a Coke and a burger?'
To his delight, a section of the wall swiveled open to reveal a small table and chair. On the table was a tray with a can of Coke and a burger, which didn't taste bad at all. Further investigation revealed that when he asked for it, a bed would slide out for him to sleep on. Feeling cocky, he asked to be let go. Not surprisingly, nothing happened.
Jail or not, he was at least comfortable, well fed and could rest.
And now, he would plot a way to get out.
***
Aaditya had no way of knowing how long he had been there, but just judging from the number of times his body had told him that it needed sleep or eat, he guessed it must have been at least two days. During that time, he received no further visitors.He focused on keeping himself strong, not knowing what lay ahead. So, he ate well and exercised every opportunity he got. Finally, when the door did slide open, he saw Mr Muni, dressed in the same kind of clothes that Aaditya wore. Except that they were saffron in colour.
Mr Muni held up his lucky patch.
'I understand this belonged to your father. I thought it appropriate that you keep it.'
Aaditya took it and put it into the pocket on the side of his trousers, wondering how they knew, but he had a few questions of his own.
'Narada.'
Mr Muni looked at him, and then smiled, realizing that he had given away his name. Aaditya continued. 'So that is your name- that's what that snake-eyed freak called you. Here is what I have figured out- you are obviously some secret force, and you're worried that I will compromise you. All I've seen are the planes and this cell; I don't know anything more. Just let me go. Please.'
Narada called for two chairs, which the wall moved to reveal and he motioned for Aaditya to sit down.
'We have our secrets to protect, for sure, but it's your well being that is also at risk.'
Aaditya snorted dismissively.
'Look Aadi, I hope you're okay with me calling you by your nickname---if you had just told me you had the cylinder we could have avoided a lot of trouble. We would have taken it and made it known that you were nobody, just someone caught up by accident. But now, even if we let you go, they will come for you. They will not believe so easily that you have nothing to do with us.'
'They?'
'The ones who came to your apartment. This time, my superiors will not risk coming to your aid. We risked too much, revealing ourselves during the incident on your roof.'
Aaditya was getting tired of being a pawn. It seemed that all this Narada and his colleagues cared about was their agenda, and he was expendable. He stewed in impotent rage. The next day when the door slid open and the woman who had
Her accent didn't sound like she was from India.
'Comfortable? I feel like I'm in Guantanamo Bay or something right now. So if you are the CIA, what comes next? Torture?'
The woman flinched at his harsh words, then regained her composure.
'Nothing like that will happen. I have some fresh clothes for you. Just leave your old clothes in the bag and we'll get them cleaned.'
Realizing how dishevelled his clothes must look, he grudgingly took the bag. As the woman turned to leave, he realized he did have something else on his mind.
'Excuse me, how do I, err, go to the bathroom?'
She smiled, something Aaditya found himself enjoying despite everything.
'Just ask,'she answered. Then, seeing Aaditya's quizzical expression, 'Just say aloud whatever you want. Try it, it's fun.'
As she walked out, Aaditya thought jail cell or not, why not give it a try? Feeling a bit silly, he said aloud, 'I'd like to go to the bathroom please.'
To his shock, a section of the wall slid open, revealing a fully furnished bathroom. When he was done, he changed into the clothes the woman had left. They were a plain white full sleeve top and track pants. But when he slid them on, they tightened around him, fitting him perfectly. Not bad, he thought. Then he said aloud, 'Can I get a Coke and a burger?'
To his delight, a section of the wall swiveled open to reveal a small table and chair. On the table was a tray with a can of Coke and a burger, which didn't taste bad at all. Further investigation revealed that when he asked for it, a bed would slide out for him to sleep on. Feeling cocky, he asked to be let go. Not surprisingly, nothing happened.
Jail or not, he was at least comfortable, well fed and could rest.
And now, he would plot a way to get out.
***
Aaditya had no way of knowing how long he had been there, but just judging from the number of times his body had told him that it needed sleep or eat, he guessed it must have been at least two days. During that time, he received no further visitors.He focused on keeping himself strong, not knowing what lay ahead. So, he ate well and exercised every opportunity he got. Finally, when the door did slide open, he saw Mr Muni, dressed in the same kind of clothes that Aaditya wore. Except that they were saffron in colour.
Mr Muni held up his lucky patch.
'I understand this belonged to your father. I thought it appropriate that you keep it.'
Aaditya took it and put it into the pocket on the side of his trousers, wondering how they knew, but he had a few questions of his own.
'Narada.'
Mr Muni looked at him, and then smiled, realizing that he had given away his name. Aaditya continued. 'So that is your name- that's what that snake-eyed freak called you. Here is what I have figured out- you are obviously some secret force, and you're worried that I will compromise you. All I've seen are the planes and this cell; I don't know anything more. Just let me go. Please.'
Narada called for two chairs, which the wall moved to reveal and he motioned for Aaditya to sit down.
'We have our secrets to protect, for sure, but it's your well being that is also at risk.'
Aaditya snorted dismissively.
'Look Aadi, I hope you're okay with me calling you by your nickname---if you had just told me you had the cylinder we could have avoided a lot of trouble. We would have taken it and made it known that you were nobody, just someone caught up by accident. But now, even if we let you go, they will come for you. They will not believe so easily that you have nothing to do with us.'
'They?'
'The ones who came to your apartment. This time, my superiors will not risk coming to your aid. We risked too much, revealing ourselves during the incident on your roof.'
Aaditya was getting tired of being a pawn. It seemed that all this Narada and his colleagues cared about was their agenda, and he was expendable. He stewed in impotent rage. The next day when the door slid open and the woman who had
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