Chapter 45: chapter 45

“Are you busy? If so, I'll leave. I think I got my answer,” Karan said, turning toward the door.“No, Karan, I'm not busy. Just a message from my ex,” Kaushal replied, wanting to verify Karan’s connection with CD before letting him go.“Oh, I'm very sorry. I thought you were getting engaged, but I never knew you already broke up,” Karan exclaimed.“Yeah, it’s a long story, and I don’t want to bore you with that. How is life for you? Any news from your marriage? It was supposed to be next month, right?” Kaushal inquired, attempting to change the topic.“There is a development on that part, actually, and I wanted to meet you for that only. I thought you would come to the office, and like our regular tea breaks, we would discuss. But then I came to know from the boss you aren’t well!” Karan explained his real reason for the visit.“What happened? You can tell me now. How can I help?” Kaushal got concerned.“Actually, Kaushal, my to-be wife had an affair with someone, and then she found out he was a traitor. She couldn’t bear that shock and broke up. Then our proposal happened through our parents, as we knew each other’s family, I had told you earlier.”“Oh, that’s shocking! But then what is the problem?” Kaushal’s eyes widened.“All was well until last week, but this week suddenly that person has been found dead. His body was recovered from the nearby river. They have found a diary from his belongings.”Kaushal was listening patiently, “And then?”“Then, he mentioned her name in the diary, and it was all over the news recently about some Crimson Dagger, so the police have arrested her in connection with this person’s murder. The dead person had a bullet in his chest.”“Oh my God!”“I am so worried. Her parents are asking for support, and my parents want me to support her. Actually, I also want to support her, but I don’t know what to do!” Karan broke down, tears rolling down his cheeks.“Hey, Karan, no man, don’t cry. You are an Army man; we cannot cry. We fight through our problems.” Kaushal hugged him and tried to console him.“Okay, do you have any photos of this person who was killed?”“Yes, it’s all over the news; let me show you!” Karan opened his mobile and searched on the internet. “Here, see this!”Kaushal’s eyes widened as he saw his informant dead, he could recognize it from the elaborate tiger tattoo on his hand. He was shocked. If his informant was already dead, then who was helping them now?~~~A few hours back, he and the unknown informant had connected and traced a particularly convoluted money trail after the informant dropped another bombshell, "Azad has moles within the highest echelons of government. He manipulates policies, controls intelligence agencies, and ensures that their plans go undetected."Kaushal’s eyes widened, "So, they're not just puppeteering from the shadows; they're actively shaping the course of nations. This is beyond anything we could have imagined."He added, "We need to expose not just Azad but also their network of collaborators within the government. It's a dangerous game, but the truth must come out."They had decided to release carefully curated information, ensuring that the identities of the informant and themselves remained hidden. The media frenzy escalated, and the public demanded answers.In a self-destructing message, the informant had handed Kaushal another encrypted drive. "This contains the final piece of the puzzle – the names and locations of Azad’s collaborators within the government. Use it wisely."This was the drive that held the key to not only exposing Azad but dismantling the network that allowed them to operate with liberty.As Kaushal sifted through the files, the enormity of the task ahead settled upon him. The fate of nations and the lives of countless individuals hung in the balance. The final confrontation with Azad was imminent, and the shadows that had concealed them for so long were about to be dispelled in the harsh light of truth.Kaushal had been decrypting Azad’s collaborators and the money trails, matching them to find the final accounts that had the money."I hold the key to unravelling Azad’s network within the government, but exposing them will be like walking on a tightrope. I need to be precise, and cautious, and ensure that every move is calculated. The information on this drive could be my most powerful weapon, but it's also the most dangerous. Azad won't take kindly to their secrets being laid bare for the world to see." Kaushal was talking to himself.The room fell into a contemplative silence, broken only by the distant sounds of the city outside. The gravity of his mission settled heavily upon him, and for a moment, doubt crept into his mind."What if I am not strong enough to face them? What if the truth I uncover is too much for the world to handle?" His eyes reflected the turmoil within.Kaushal drank water and was thinking about how to keep himself motivated when he thought of calling Neha and telling her about his findings from the latest information he had received."Don’t get stressed, Kaushal. My contacts in the media are trustworthy. We will control the narrative and shape public opinion in our favour," Neha suggested, her mind already calculating the moves ahead.Neha added, "And we must be ready for the backlash. Azad won't go down without a fight, and their collaborators will do everything to protect their secrets."As they thought through the actions, crafting the narrative and preparing for the inevitable storm, Neha's mind wandered to the informant who had risked everything to expose Azad’s secrets. "We need to ensure the informant's safety. If Azad suspects his involvement, he will be in grave danger."Kaushal agreed, "I'll ensure he gets into no risks. We owe him a debt of gratitude for the information he has provided."He disconnected the call and was working on some more details when Karan knocked, and then the revelation that his informant was already dead. Who was helping him now? He could sense more danger for himself and Neha. He decided to help Karan first; maybe he would get some clues from there!~~~~