"You are a hard woman to find Meera," he said as she stood casually resting his back against the door frame. He was an attractive man, lean, tall, fair and had sharp facial features. Meera noticed dimples on his cheek as he smiled.
Meera stood up and held out her knife defensively, "Not one step further," she screamed, "I'll stab you, I swear!"
The man chuckled and casually placed his hands in his pockets and said, "You've got a spirit girl, I'll give you that."
"What do you want?" Meera asked.
"Just wanna talk," he said looking into her eyes with a smile.
"Talk about what?" Meera said, still menacingly holding her knife towards him.
The man smiled, maintaining his relaxed posture, "Could you drop the knife please?" he said with a smile, "If I wanted you dead, I would have just shot you."
Meera nervously placed her knife on the floor.
"Good girl," he said, "Now listen. My Name is Aryan. I'm here because Kabir wanted me to find you."
"Kabir!" Meera asked tearfully, "He is alive?"
"No," Aryan said, "But he didn't die immediately after his accident. The bullet grazed his arm and made him lose balance. He crashed onto the road and fell unconscious. He had a major head injury. He was taken to a hospital and he survived long enough to call me. When I went to see him, his condition was critical. But he gave me your name and picture, and requested me to rescue you. But...I see that you've rescued yourself."
Meera was choking in grief thinking about Kabir dying all alone in a hospital.
"He gave me this," Aryan said, handing over a box to Meera, "He told me to give it to you when I find you."
Meera took the box and opened it with a trembling hand. Inside she found a shining diamond ring and a letter. She opened the letter and recognized Kabir's handwriting. She wailed in grief and collapsed on the floor. The ring rolled out of the box and fell on the mattress. She tried to read the letter but tears flowed from her eyes continually blurring her vision. She held the letter to her heart and cried uncontrollably.
Aryan watched her break down and sighed. "I am sorry. I'll guess you'd want a moment to yourself," Aryan said to Meera as he turned to leave the room, "I'll be waiting outside."
Meera cried aloud for quite some time. After a while she managed to calm down and read the letter.
My dearest Meera,
By the time you receive this letter, I'll perhaps be gone. I'm sorry for leaving you all alone, I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I've always loved you Meera, you mean the world to me. There are some things about me that you'll find out someday. And unfortunately I won't be around to say that I am sorry.
I really wanted to marry you, spend my whole life with you. I really want to live Meera, live for you, keep you happy for the rest of your life, at least that is how I thought I could atone for my sins. But I don't think I have much time left now. With every breath I take, life drains out of me. It devastates me to even think of what you would be going through.
I am sorry I could not fulfill all the promises I made. I had saved up some money and bought this ring for you. This is all I have left to give you now. I wish I could put it on your finger with my own hand, I wish I could be there to hold you...I know you wanted and needed so much more from me. I am sorry I failed you. But know that I've always loved you.
Yours forever,
Kabir
Meera picked up the ring and kissed it lovingly as she wept constantly. There was an inscription on the ring on the inside that read, "Meera, the love of my life"
Meera slipped the ring on her finger and wiped her tears. She slowly got up and walked outside.
It was a rainy morning. Aryan was standing near the entrance of the factory, calmly smoking as he gazed at the pouring rain.
"Were you Kabir's friend?" Meera asked.
"No," Aryan said, "He once helped me. I owed him a favor."
"Thank you," she said, "This means a lot to me."
"You are welcome," he said politely, taking another puff.
"So, how did you find me?" Meera asked.
"That's my job girl," Aryan said, "I find people, I find stuff..."
"I mean," she asked, "How did you know to look for me here?"
"Now you are asking for my trade secrets," Aryan said with a smile as he took a puff.
Meera looked disappointed.
"Okay, don't look so sad, I'll tell you," Aryan said, "Like I said, you were hard to find, after the hospital you were untraceable for almost a week," Aryan said, "But you bought some medications from a nearby store last night, and one of my boys spotted you."
"Do you know anything about the gang who kidnapped me?" Meera asked.
"Yeah. They are a gang of local opioid dealers, who like to call themselves "The Vipers". They leader's name is Asif, the guy with a tattoo on his right arm is a known sex offender. They are underground currently, one of their shipments was busted the same night that you smashed that poor dude's head and escaped," Aryan said calmly, taking another puff.
Meera was shocked to know that Aryan knows about the murder.
"Don't be shocked," he said smiling at her, "Knowing stuff is my job."
"Does the police know?" Meera asked nervously.
"The police found the body of Ajeet Rathod after you burned down the cabin. They traced him through his phone location. You were lucky to get the three days window to destroy evidence as Rathod was supposed to be on a business trip and his family filed a complaint only 5 days after he actually went missing. The police know that a woman was held captive there. The fire destroyed much of the evidence, but I think they've found a fragment of your hair. Anyway, they don't have your name at present, so they have no one to match that DNA with. There was a gang member who was present there that night you killed the man. He went after you in the woods but he was later found dead in the woods. Snake bite, apparently...lucky you, again. But I suggest you find the gang before the police does, coz if they spill your name, you'll be in trouble," Aryan said.
"Where is this Viper gang now?" she asked.
"I don't know, hiding somewhere maybe..." he replied.
"Can you find them for me?" Meera asked.
"Of course," Aryan said, "But I expect to be paid. I don't run charity, you know. And I am not cheap."
Meera thought for a moment and took the ring off her finger and placed it on Aryan's palm. "This is all I have to offer right now," she said tearfully.
"If I wanted to take that ring, I would have never bothered to bring it to you and you would have never known that it existed," Aryan said, placing the ring back into her palm, "Kabir once helped me find something that was precious to me. I'm just trying to return that favor. This ring...it meant a lot to him, and he wanted you to have it. Take care of it, girl, don't trade it for silly things."
"They killed Kabir! They raped me!" Meera screamed, "I want them dead!"
"Well," Aryan said calmly, "You'll have to figure something out girl. Coz I'm the guy who'll bring you information. Nothing more. What you want to do with that information is up to you. You want them murdered, you'll have to do it yourself, or hire someone to do it. Killing ain't my thing."
Meera was quiet for a moment, thinking and analyzing her options.
