Chapter 28: chapter 28

As I drove back home that evening, my thoughts were filled with the warmth of the friendship that had blossomed between Animesh and me. He had become more than just a coffee companion now. Was he going to be my best friend who would be there to listen, support, and share in both the laughter and the difficult moments? It seemed that the coffee bean key ring he had gifted me, hanging from my car key, was now talking to me on behalf of him.Little did I know that life had another twist in store for me. The next morning, as I sipped my morning coffee and checked my phone, I noticed a message from my CO to meet me urgently.I made my way to his office, unsure of the reason for the summons. When I entered, Col. Sharma was seated behind his desk, studying a file with a stern expression. He glanced up as I saluted and stood at attention."At ease, Riya," he said, his voice cold and measured.I relaxed slightly but remained on high alert. "You wanted to see me, sir?"Col. Sharma nodded. "I did, I have a special assignment for you, one that requires your attention to detail and excellent problem-solving skills."I was intrigued. "I'm ready, sir. Please brief me on the assignment."He leaned forward, his gaze unwavering. "Riya, we have received reports of unauthorized access to sensitive information within our cantonment. This is a matter of grave concern, and we must identify the individual responsible."My heart sank as I realized the gravity of the situation. Security breaches within the cantonment were a serious matter."Sir, I understand the seriousness of this issue. I will do everything in my power to assist in the investigation and ensure the security of our cantonment," I replied with determination."Good. You will be working closely with a fellow officer on this assignment. Major Arjun will be your partner in this investigation."I had heard of Major Arjun—a seasoned officer known for his sharp instincts and thorough investigative skills."Thank you, sir. I look forward to working with Major Arjun,"I said, acknowledging the responsibility that had been entrusted to me.Colonel handed me a file containing preliminary information about the security breaches. "Study this file carefully. Familiarize yourself with the details, and let Major Arjun report to your office, and provide him further instructions."I accepted the file with a crisp salute. "Yes, sir. I will begin my preparations immediately."As I left the Colonel’s office, a sense of duty and determination washed over me, and called Major Arjun to report to my office. The security of our cantonment was at stake."Good morning, Madam Riya," he greeted me.“We have a challenging task ahead of us, Major. Security breaches of this nature require scrutiny and a keen eye for detail."He nodded, determined to prove himself. "I'm ready to assist in any way I can!""Let's start by reviewing the locations and times of these breaches. There must be a pattern here."We spent hours poring over the details, analyzing the incidents, and brainstorming potential leads. Major Arjun's analytical approach was impressive, and I was eager to learn from him.As we delved deeper into the investigation, I realized we'd need to interview the personnel who were on duty during the times of the breaches. They might have seen something that could help us.We began scheduling interviews with the personnel involved. The cantonment was abuzz with rumours about security breaches, and everyone seemed on edge.During one interview, a young soldier nervously admitted, "Sir, I did see something unusual that night. There was a shadow near the perimeter, but when I approached, it disappeared. I guess there is some supernatural power roaming around here Sir!"This small piece of information intrigued both me and  Arjun. "A shadow, a supernatural power? What are you telling us, soldier, can you be more clear?”“I mean Madam Sir, it can be a ghost!”“What rubbish, Soldier where did you see the Shadow? Tell the exact location and stop telling these ghost stories, that’s an Order! Do you understand?”Riya’s authoritative voice made the soldier tremble and he nodded and gave the exact location which was near the right side fence.“Thank you, Soldier. That could be a valuable lead. You can leave now!"Our investigation led us to question the guards posted at the perimeter fence during the nights of the breaches. One of them, a seasoned veteran named Ramu, shared an interesting observation."Sir, I've been guarding this perimeter for years, and I've never seen anything like this before. But on those nights, I heard strange noises coming from the woods nearby. It was like someone was whispering."Arjun and I exchanged glances. Whispering in the woods near the cantonment sounded suspicious indeed.As we continued to gather information, another piece of the puzzle fell into place. A junior officer mentioned, "Madam Sir, there's been talk among some of the personnel about a group that meets in secret at night, deep in the woods. They call themselves 'The Night Owls.'""The Night Owls?" I echoed, intrigued by the name."It's worth looking into. Thank you for the information."We decided to focus our investigation on this mysterious group, "The Night Owls." However, uncovering their identity and motives proved to be a daunting task. It was like trying to catch shadows in the dark.As hours turned into a day, I worked with Arjun tirelessly, sifting through clues, conducting interviews, and following leads.The next day, after a particularly long day of investigation, we were sitting down with our coffee, and he shared concerns with me."Madam, I can't help but wonder about Major Vayu's involvement in all of this. He's the one who told me that there is a breach going on, and there's something about it that doesn't add up.""You have a sharp intuition, Major. But let's not jump to conclusions. We'll focus on the evidence and follow the leads wherever they may lead us.", I tried to cut him short as I didn’t want to involve Major Vayu in my life again.As we finished our coffee and returned to our investigation, I couldn't help but wonder how deep the rabbit hole went. "The Night Owls" remained elusive, and the security breaches continued, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty within the cantonment.Little did I know that this assignment would not only test my investigative skills but also challenge me again like what had happened in Leh. The breach situation I found myself in was far from what I had anticipated.~~~~~