Chapter 29: chapter 29

Days turned into a week as Major Arjun and I relentlessly pursued leads in the investigation of the security breaches within our cantonment. The enigmatic group known as "The Night Owls" remained our primary focus, yet they remained shrouded in mystery.One evening, after a particularly frustrating day of interviews and fruitless leads, I found myself seated in my office, my head cradled in my hands. Major Arjun, an indefatigable investigator, was scrutinizing the map of the cantonment's perimeter.Breaking the silence, Major Arjun said, "Madam Riya, I believe we need to adopt a different approach. Rather than chasing shadows, let's try to predict their movements."Intrigued, I looked up and asked, "What do you have in mind, Major?"He pointed to a spot on the map and explained, "There's a section of the perimeter fence near the woods where most of the breaches have occurred. What if we establish a covert surveillance operation there? If 'The Night Owls' are responsible, we might catch them in the act."Impressed by his strategic thinking, I nodded and said, "That's a brilliant idea, Major. Let's commence planning right away."Over the following days, Major Arjun and I worked tirelessly to set up the surveillance operation. We selected a team in whom I had complete trust, trained them for this covert mission, and stationed them near the woods. We discreetly installed hidden cameras and audio equipment to capture any unusual activity.We monitored the surveillance feeds night after night, wondering whether 'The Night Owls' were merely mischievous individuals or if something more sinister was afoot. One night, as I watched the live feed, I noticed movement near the perimeter fence. Shadows flitted through the darkness, and hushed whispers filled the audio recordings. It was the first sign of possible activity from "The Night Owls."I immediately alerted Major Arjun, who rushed to my office. We watched the surveillance footage closely, attempting to identify recognizable faces or actions."It's them, Madam Riya," he whispered. "We finally have them on camera."Continuing to observe, it became evident that "The Night Owls" were engaging in some sort of clandestine activity. They congregated near the fence, their faces concealed by masks and hoods.I alerted my trained team and ensured that we were well-equipped so that we wouldn't let them escape this time. As "The Night Owls" continued their secretive meeting, my team approached from behind, effectively encircling them. The element of surprise was on our side.“You are caught red-handed!” Major Arjun shouted while pointing his gun at one of the masked individuals. I watched the live feed with bated breath as Arjun ordered "The Night Owls" to drop their masks and surrender. Slowly, one by one, the masked figures complied, revealing their faces, but three of them refused to lower their masks.Arjun repeated his order for those three to drop their masks, but they remained obstinate.“By disobeying me, you are disobeying direct orders from the command. If you don’t lower the masks, my men will have to handcuff you, and then we will arrest you and place you behind bars!” Arjun commanded.The tension in my office was palpable as the camera zoomed in on the unmasked individuals. And then, to my utter shock and disbelief, I recognized familiar faces among them—faces I never would have expected to see in that situation. The three unidentified individuals were none other than captains from Major Vayu's unit and some from mine as well.Despite Arjun's sternness, the three still refused to remove their masks, causing a standoff. Finally, Arjun took matters into his own hands, forcefully removing the masks one by one. To my astonishment, Major Priya, a fellow officer whom I had known for years, was revealed under one of the masks.Slowly, the other two masks were also removed, unveiling Major Vayu and Agni. They appeared just as shocked to see Arjun before them as I was.My heart sank as I realized that the very people I had considered colleagues and friends were involved in the security breaches. How had this happened?Besides Major Vayu, both Agni and Priya were close to me, and we had shared many meals. What could their motive possibly be for creating this secretive group?As the revelation of Major Priya, Major Vayu, and Agni's involvement in the security breaches sunk in, an uncomfortable silence enveloped my office. I asked Arjun to bring them to my office, as I didn't want them to get arrested before I understood their motives, though the sense of betrayal remained overwhelming.When Arjun brought all of them to my office, I stared at Major Priya and Agni for a couple of minutes. No one spoke; all eyes remained lowered.Breaking the silence, I finally asked, my voice trembling with a mixture of anger and confusion, "Major Priya, Agni, why?"Major Priya, with a defiant expression, replied, "You wouldn't understand, Madam Riya. We had our reasons."Major Vayu remained silent, his face stoic, while Agni shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact.Major Arjun, never one to shy away from getting to the bottom of things, pressed them further. "You need to explain yourselves. Your actions have put the security of this cantonment at risk, and you've jeopardized the safety of everyone here."However, their explanations didn't change the situation. When I dialled Col. Sharma's number, Major Priya pleaded, "Please don't tell him!"I cut the call, feeling a surge of anger. "Your actions are not adding up, Priya. I will have to charge you with espionage!""No, we are not spies or traitors! Madam Riya, you were always the golden child, the one who followed all the rules, the one who got all the recognition. We were tired of being overlooked and undervalued." Priya's voice was filled with bitterness as she retorted.I struggled to process her words. The very people I had considered friends and colleagues had resorted to endangering the lives of everyone in the cantonment to gain recognition. It was a stark reminder that frustration and desperation could lead to terrible decisions."Was it your decision, Priya, or were you influenced by someone?" My voice remained stern as I suspected that Major Vayu might be behind influencing them."No, I was not influenced by anyone. We needed to be heard, and unfortunately, no one had the time during office hours to listen to our grievances!"I responded with frustration, "Are you hearing yourself? Major Priya, we are not children; we are soldiers, and we should follow the proper channels to seek attention. What is this childish way of jeopardizing the honour of our entire unit?"Priya, who had been staring at me until now, suddenly lowered her head in shame.~~~~~