April 02nd 2013 12:58 Hrs:

Ranjith hears some sounds from the room when he was walking that way and walks towards the door. As soon as he opens the door, he sees Tarun speaking to someone on phone.

“Hey calm down Tarun. Why are you this much worried about her taking this case up?”

“Because, she is my wife sir. I almost lost her twice and I don’t want to put her in risk again.”

Tarun stops talking when he sees Ranjith coming inside the room.

“Sir”

“Tarun. What are you doing here? We have a evidence analysis meeting in next 2 mins. And all are searching for you.”

“Okay sir. I am coming.”

“Come.”

“Hi, I will call you later. Please send those test reports to me in the evening. Will talk with Amrutha.” – Tarun over the phone.

Tarun changes the topic and ends the call with the above lines.

“Sir, did we get all the complete details about this case? Can we take this up now from our department?”

“We need to discuss on this with higher authorities Tarun. There is no scope for the Human Rights to continue their investigation on this. I guess the higher authorities will forward this to our department.”

“Okay sir. So, if this comes to us, can we take this case with the same team that was setup?”

“Let’s see Tarun. It all depends on the higher people. I have no take on that.”

12:58 Hrs:

Ranjith and Tarun went inside the room when the evidence analysis meeting is going to be held. As soon as they went inside, Tarun started asking about the case files and the evidence even before the meeting commenced.

“Sir, can I have a look at the case files and the reports?”

“Sure Tarun, go ahead. Discussion will start once every one assembles here.”

13:09 Hrs:

Everyone gets assembled for the evidence analysis meet that was held up within the people of Police Department to discuss on the evidence and the case files the Human Rights department has handed over to them.

“Hi team, I know we are being questioned by some other department on the way we are caring about prisoners. Yes, they are right. But then we ever had a view that these are not accidents. And as these are happening across various locations and as we have never cross fired the data across the locations, we never had a thought that these are pre-planned and not just accidents. We now need to go through their reports and the evidence that they have submitted and then work on the plan to how to proceed with the case.”

“Sir, I know it’s big and is happening all over the country across various locations. But my question is, do we really need to setup a team and work on this? Last night a girl was r**p*d and was beaten to death. Atlast she died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. Do you really think this particular case what we are discussing is more important than the death of that girl?”

“Tarun, I understand your anger and importance. Yes, you are right. We need to catch those criminals and put them behind the bars. But then the people who are sitting on top of us are more concerned about this as we are being pointed out by some other department on the way we are handling these people once we arrest them. The point they say is that. Now we are facing the situation where they are being killed. What if the situation is like they are escaping in the same way? What answer do we have for this?”

“Sir, you are right. But, what about the lakhs of fingers that are pointing us regarding the safety and security of women? Are we not concerned about those?”

“Yes Tarun. Safety and security to the people living in our nation is our first priority. But we all are tied up. Our hands are tied up and we need to act upon the orders we receive from the top. Even I don’t have rights to disobey them. The system is designed such.”

“Then let’s rewrite the system. Let’s rewrite the rules. Let’s go out there, find the people responsible behind these kinds of activities on women and bring them to justice. If we keep sitting in the four walls and spend time on discussing the safety of these criminals, then one day we will have only criminals in the country and we will be doing the same thing, work on the safety and protection of these criminals. I am sorry if I sound harsh sir. But, I am just telling what I feel. We all are wearing a uniform that has some responsibilities and duties behind it and I don’t think we are doing justice to it.”

“Tarun, I guess you are behaving uncontrolled, please respect your superiors.”

“Sorry sir. Sorry for taking this out of route, let us continue discussing on that.”

“Okay. So, team, the same team which was initially setup from our sides will be working on this case and will take it to closure. I will make copies of the reports and will send it to all of you. Let us do a detail dig through and then come to a common point on this.”

“Okay sir. And, can we take a look at the evidence?”

“We are in the process of securing the master copy. Once it is done, we will get the copy of that and then we can go through it.”

“Okay sir.”

“Okay team. Let us meet later.”

13:29 Hrs:

After that short meet, every one left for the lunch. Tarun also left the room and walked toward some other room. He reached a room and went inside. He was talking with a person who is in that room.

13:37 Hrs:

“Hi Tarun sir. I was about to bring the evidence copy to Ranjith.”

“Okay. Even I came to take that. Ranjith sir wants to see that.”

“Okay sir. I will bring it. You go.”

“It’s fine, I will take it. You put that master in the safe.”

“Okay Tarun sir.”

Tarun took the evidence copy and walked out of the room.

13:41 Hrs:

Tarun was going through the evidence. While he was walking, Ranjith was walking opposite to him.

“Sir.”

“Tarun. Is that the evidence file?”

“Yes sir. I was walking this side and so took it from Ramu to bring it here.”

“Okay Tarun. Let us discuss on this later.”

“Okay sir.”

13:41 Hrs:

Tarun left the place. Ranjith expressions got changed when he saw the evidence file in the hands of Tarun. He went inside the room and called someone on the intercom.

“Ramu.”

“Yes sir.”

“Did you keep the master in safe?”

“Yes sir. I finished that. Tarun sir took the file and told me to continue with this work.”

“What?”

“Tarun sir came to the safe room and took the evidence saying that you asked to bring it. And he told me to work on master copy.”

“Okay. Okay. Initiate the TS code access on that and set it to level L3 and above.”

“Okay sir.”

Ranjith started thinking very deep about something.

14:11 Hrs:

Post lunch session started between the two departments. It went on for about 2.30 hours discussing on the various reports that were gathered on each accident and also on the evidence that was gathered by the Human Rights department. Tarun remained silent during the whole discussion. He was only looking at Amrutha during the whole meeting. After the meeting was over, every one left the place. Amrutha was called by Ranjith to the evidence discussion room.

16:58 Hrs:

“Hi sir.”

“Welcome Amrutha. It was a very impressive report on all those cases. Even though it was filed against our department, the information you have gathered and also the way you linked each case is really impressive.”

“Thank you sir. May I know why you called me?”

“I want to discuss few minutes on the evidence that you have submitted in the morning.”

“Yes sir. Sure. Tell me.”

“Okay. Let me play this in the HD iView Projector in the dark mode.”

While Ranjith was setting it up, Amrutha receives a call.

“Sir, just a second.”

“Hello.”

“Hey Amrutha. Where are you?”

“I am in the evidence room 3^rd floor. Give me 10 minutes. I will come down to the car.”

“Okay. Come fast.”

“Okay sure. Just few minutes.” – Amrutha disconnects the call.

“Yes sir. Tell me.”

“Amrutha. If you see this device here clearly, this is a highly tactical gear. Only specially trained persons will know how to use these devices.”

Amrutha remains silent for few seconds and starts looking at the screen very keenly. She observed something in that.

“And, if you see here, this is a special kind of bike that is imported which picks up 0 to 100 in just 6 seconds. Considering all these, I guess highly professional team is working on this. But, I am still not understanding who are these who are implementing justice with their hands.”

“Okay sir. I guess it’s time for your department to proceed with this.”

“Ya you are right. But I wanted to thank you for gathering all the required info before I reveal this to anyone else in our department.”

“Thank you sir. Sir, I need to start now. Sorry. My husband Tarun is waiting down.”

“Tarun? He is your husband?”

“Yes sir. I need to go. Thank you sir.”

“Okay. Okay. Go.”

17:12 Hrs:

Ranjith continues examining the evidence and the reports. Something keeps disturbing him a lot. He is trying to connect things and establish a connection with this case.

Amrutha reaches the car parking lot where Tarun is waiting for him.

“Hey Tarun. I am surprised to see you here. For the first time I am meeting you at your office.”

“Get in. We need to start.”

“This is not a meeting room Tarun. Put a smile on your face.”

“Get in fast.”

“Okay. Okay. Don’t get anger.”

Tarun and Amrutha started to their home from the Head Quarters. On the way, Amrutha was talking about the case with Tarun.

“Tarun. Another most surprising is that we both are working on the same case in two different departments and we never know about each other.”

“What are you talking? You forgot the rule we have?”

“I remember, I remember. ‘No office discussions at home’.”

“Good.”

18:19 Hrs:

Tarun and Amrutha reached home and Amrutha started preparations for dinner. Tarun went straight into his room and was looking at some files.

18:39 Hrs:

“Tarun… Tarun…”

Amrutha calls Tarun. But he will not be responding. She walks and checks in each room calling him. She finds out that he is in his room working on something. As soon as Amrutha opens the door, Tarun hides something under the bed immediately.

“Tarun. What are you doing here? You have some office work to be completed?”

“No, I am just checking some files.”

“Okay. What do you want me to cook Tarun?”

“I am not feeling hungry.”

‘What happened to you Tarun? Why are you so tensed today?”

“Nothing Amrutha. I will have bath and come. Cook something.”

“Okay Tarun.”

When Tarun leaves for bath, Amrutha steps in his room and checks for the thing which she saw Tarun was hiding it from her when he opened the door. She saw a device in a suit case and some other route plans. Her expressions get changed when she sees that device. She immediately runs to her room and checks something in his files. After few minutes, she gets shocked seeing that the device which Tarun is having with him and the device in the evidence are matching. But she won’t talk anything about that to Tarun.

20:11 Hrs:

Ranjith is still in his cabin, studying the case reports and the evidence various number of times. After a certain point, he finds something in the evidence and then calls to a number.

“Hello.”

“Yes sir.”

“Connect me to Data Center.”

“Okay sir. Wait a minute.”

“Hello Ranjith sir. Tell me sir.”

“There was a evidence that was placed in the master safe in the afternoon.”

“Just a second sir.”

“Yes sir. It was set to L3 and above.”

“Ya. Change it. Change the TS code access on that and set it to my PI alone.”

“Okay sir.”

“And also one more thing.”

“Tell me sir.”

“I want you to run a trace on IPS2091876 id. I want the complete details of past 24 months.”

“But sir. We cannot do that unless we have a level above authentication.”

“Do it right now.”

“Sir, it will trigger an alert at level 3 above if I change.”

“That’s fine. Just do it

“Okay sir. Will authorize that and will initiate it. But sir…”

“What? We can do it only post mid night.”

“Okay. Do it and call me at any time.”

20:35 Hrs:

Amrutha serves the dinner for both. During the dinner, she raises the topic regarding the case.

“Tarun.”

“Yes.”

“You saw the evidence that our department produced today morning?”

“Why?”

“The devices used and the way the plot was planned is all highly tactical and was done by professionals. And that device is a highly tactical gear in which only very few people in the country are trained to use those devices.”

“What device you are talking about? I don’t know about that device. I saw it for the first time today.”

“I am just asking because you are also specially trained when you were working in Mumbai and so just asked you.”

“Amrutha. I don’t know anything about that device. And also I told you, we have a rule that office discussions should not be bought here.”

“Yes yes. I remember. Sorry.”

21:09 Hrs:

“Amrutha, I am going to bed. Good night.”

“Okay Tarun. I will come in few minutes.”

“Okay.”

22:18 Hrs:

Tarun gets a call to his mobile. He attends the call immediately in the first ring as he didn’t fall into sleep. He steps out of the room with the phone. Amrutha also wakes up hearing the sound.

“Hello sir.”

“Tarun. I am now starting to Chennai for the mid night flight.”

“Sir. What?”

“Yes Tarun. The situation is getting bigger. And it’s time for me to control it.”

“What happened sir?”

“Ranjith has requested for a change in the evidence master access to his PI alone.”

“Why sir? Why so?”

“Don’t know. In the noon he set it to level3. But now he requested for the access to be set to his PI alone. And also he requested for one more thing.”

“What’s that sir?”

“He initiated a trace on you.”

“Sir. What are you talking? A trace on me?”

“Yes. We got to stop that. Once it gets initiated, we cannot stop it and the alert will be triggered to the entire higher officials.”

“Sir. Why he did so?”

“We don’t know what he found out. Whatever it may be, we have to stop me. I will reach there in an hour. You go and stop him before it gets midnight.”

“Okay sir. I will start right now.”

23:42 Hrs:

Tarun immediately rushes to Ranjith’s house without even informing Amrutha that he is going out.

He reaches Ranjith’s house.

“Ding… Ding… Ding…” the doorbell rings.

“Ding… Ding… Ding…” Tarun keeps on ringing the doorbell.

23:45 Hrs:

Ranjith opens the door and gets shocked seeing Tarun at his home in that midnight.

“Tarun. What are you doing here in this midnight?”

“Sir, I will explain all that later. First I want you do one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Call to the Data Center and ask them to stop setting up the trace which you have initiated on me.”

“What? How did you know that?”

“Sir, you will know everything soon. First do that fast before it triggers an alert in the department.”

“Tarun. What are you talking? Do you know with whom you are talking? I am your superior.”

“Sir. Please try to understand. Call them and ask them to stop setting it up.”

“Tarun. I can’t do that. I saw in the evidence, you are the one who is specialized in handling those highly tactical gears.”

“Sir. Please stop it right now before it gets too late.”

“Tarun. I am your superior. You cannot demand me.”

While he was responding to Tarun, Ranjith hears another voice.

“Ranjith. Stop it right now we have just 2 more minutes.”

“Aprit sir. How come you are here? What’s happening?”

***: Suspenses getting revealed.

#AtTheEdge