Pred 8
The next day is a bit of a red letter day – Armaan and Riddhima actually find they have fifteen minutes break together for coffee in the evening, as Armaan has lighter duties than usual because of his injured arm. They meet in the café and are just about to sit down, when Armaan feels his pocket and gives a small groan.
Ar: Pager ward mein reh gaya …
Rid: Armaan, pundrah minute ki baat hai … kuch nahin hoga … ek coffee to pee lete …
He shakes his head.
Ar: nahin Riddhima, ek patient kaafi sick hai … call aa sakti hai. I'd better go and get it … won't be a minute …
He turns and almost bumps into Abhimanyu, standing just there, who has obviously heard what he just said.
Armaan says awkwardly (after last night, he can't really be rude): sorry … didn't see you, Dr. Modi …
Abhi: it's ok … I'll keep Dr. Riddhima company till you get back.
He sits down in the chair that Armaan was going to sit in. Riddhima also now can't get up without looking rude, so she keeps sitting, looking after Armaan as he leaves.
Abhi (speaking chattily): So, Dr. Riddhima … are you okay after last night?
Rid (speaking a little coldly): mujhe kuch nahin hua tha, Dr. Abhimanyu … chot to Armaan ko lagi …
Abhi: Lekin aap kaafi ghabrayi hui thi …
Rid: Jab Armaan saath ho, to main ghabrati nahin hun … (after a short pause) … but aap kal bahut sahi vaqt par pahunche …
Abhi (sighs a little theatrically): chalo … kuch to tareef ki aapne … varna main to soch raha tha ki aap apni naraazgi kabhi nahin chodengi!
Rid (reluctantly – after all, he had come to their help when they really needed it): nahin … aisi baat nahin hai … I'm really grateful ki aap uss samay pahunch gaye.
Abhi: So am I … (he looks at her seriously, and she looks back at him, wondering a little at his tone, then she breaks his gaze and looks down into her cup. He sighs and tries to change the subject.)
Abhi: Aap dono bahut acche dost ho …?
Rid (non-committally): haan … hum sab bahut achche dost hain … bahut samay se saath kaam kar rahe hain … (she lifts her gaze and looks straight at him) … Dr. Keerti aur Dr. Shubhankar bhi … hospital mein hamare seniors hain, lekin hospital ke bahar hum unke bhi bahut close hain …
Abhimanyu sighs again, giving no sign whether he has understood the jibe about Dr. Keerti or not.
Abhi: I hope … aap log mujhe bhi aise accept kar lenge … ki hospital ke andar jo main karun … that's my job. I have to do it … I don't have a choice …
Riddhima looks at him … is he trying to explain what he did regarding Dr. Keerti, or is he getting at something else? What he is going to do in future …
Abhimanyu looks straight back at her, then shrugs, as though to say – forget it …
Abhi: Main coffee lekar aata hun … excuse me.
He gets up and goes to the counter. Atul, Anjali, Rahul and Nikita come in together, seeing Riddhima sitting alone, they come to her table.
Niki: Riddhima! Kitne din ho gaye … lagta hai it's been ages since we met!
Anj: Are Niki … hum dono ek ghar mein rehte hain … aur maine bhi Ridz ko teen din se nahin dekha! Pehle meri night duty, phir uski, phir meri … crazy schedule, man!
They all sit down noisily and start ordering their coffees. They don't notice Abhimanyu who is busy with a phone call at the counter. Their coffees arrive and they chat noisily, all complaining about the new schedules, the workload, the lack of free time …
Abhi (from behind them): I was under the impression that you all were here to work … lekin aap sab logon ko dekh ke to lagta hai ki aap yahan socialize karne aaye ho … ab galat fehmi meri hai ya aapki …?
They look around – he is standing there looking at them gently, an oh-so pleasant smile on his face.
Atul stands up looking panicked. Abhimanyu comes and sits at the table … the noise level dies instantly as all of them look at each other.
Nikita gulps her coffee … "I'm through … main jaa rahi hun …"
Atul follows her, muttering something.
Anjali makes an attempt to speak to Riddhima, ignoring Abhimanyu. Within a minute, she also gets up and leaves, followed by Rahul. Riddhima is left alone with Abhimanyu – she takes a sip of her coffee, feeling angry again, and more than a little awkward.
Rid: I think voh sab apne break par aaye the … they weren't breaking any rules.
Abhi: Did I say they were?
He smiles when he sees her angry look.
Abhi: Actually, main aapse akele mein baat karna chahta tha … so I'm glad they went …
You chased them away, you mean, Riddhima thinks, but doesn't say it out loud. Abhimanyu pulls his chair closer to hers and she looks at him, a little startled, and not too comfortable.
Abhi: Main aapse kuch pooch raha tha …
Riddhima looks enquiringly at him – she has forgotten what he was talking about.
Abhi: Kya aap mujhe bhi dost maanne ko tayyar hain … I mean, hospital ke bahar … jaise aap Dr. keerti aur Shubhankar ko maante hain … voh bhi aapke seniors hain … voh bhi wards mein kabhi kabhi kadvi baatein karte honge, daantte honge …
Rid: Haan, lekin bahar voh aise nahin hain … hamari bahut help karte hain … Muskaan Rahul ki Dr. Keerti ne itni help ki hai …
Abhi: Voh to maine bhi ki thi … kal raat ko … aapki aur Dr. Armaan ki …
She looks away. He sighs.
Abhi: Aap abhi bhi yakin nahin kar sakti ki main Armaan ko vahan chhod kar nahin jaane vala tha?
Rid (fiercely): Agar aap chhod ke jaate, to voh buzdilli hoti! Agar Armaan aapki jagah hota, to voh aisa kabhi nahin karta!
Abhi (softly): main bhi aisa kabhi nahin karta … believe me.
He puts out his hand and covers hers as it lies on the table. For a second, she stares at his hand, then at him – he looks back at her directly.
Armaan enters to see them frozen in this tableau – he stops in his tracks. He backs off quietly, half hidden behind the café door. Riddhima withdraws her hand from under Abhimanyu's.
Rid: Mera break khatam ho gaya hai … main chalti hun …
She leaves, not even noticing Armaan, her mind whirling in confusion.
Abhimanyu stares into his cup – then he looks up and sees Armaan.
Abhi: Aaiye, Dr. Armaan … baithenge? … ya aap bhi mujhe company dena nahin chahte?
Grimacing inwardly, Armaan goes to the table – after last night, he can't quite bring himself to be outwardly rude. You couldn't be rude to someone who had saved you from a thrashing by hoodlums … but why was he was trying to hold Riddhima's hand?
Ar: Nahin … aisi koi baat nahin hai … Riddhima gayi?
Abhi (sardonically): voh bhi … aur baaki sab bhi. Aapne sahi kaha tha, Dr. Armaan … aap logon mein bahut unity hai. Ek baar kisi ko dushman karaar diya, to chahe voh kuch bhi kar le, dushman hi rehta hai.
Armaan sita down and looks at him cautiously. Abhimanyu goes on.
Abhi: Lekin aap ko yeh nahin lagta … ki Sanjeevani ka dushman main nahin, koi aur hai?
Ar (carefully): kaun?
Abhi: aap log khud.
Armaan stares at him, dumbfounded.pred - 9 (this is really long .... but it's the crux of the story)
Abhimanyu's cabin – much later the same evening, after the rest have gone home.
Abhimanyu sits at his desk, Armaan sits across him, still looking cautious.
Ar: Aap kya kehne ki koshish kar rahe hain?
Abhi: Look , Armaan … pehle ek baat samajh lo … I'm really not here as the enemy. Main kisi ko nikalna chahta nahin hun … yeh mera shauk nahin hai …
Ar (sardonically): I'm glad to hear that … mujhe to lag raha tha ki …
Abhi: … aapka number kab aayega?
Both laugh slightly.
Abhi: well, you can rest assured … abhi aapka number door hai … unless of course, mera munh phir se kala karne ka irada hai … in which case, I might reconsider …
Armaan looks down, trying to hide his grin. So Modi had realized that, had he?! Well, so much for Armaan's conspiracy theories about throwing the interns out!
Abhimanyu smiles slightly as well, then speaks more seriously.
Abhi: Mere yahan sirf do kaam hain … ek to, Sanjeevani ko financial crisis se nikalna …
He pauses …
… aur doosra, yeh pata lagana ki yeh crisis hua kaise, aur kaun iske liye zimmedar hai …
Armaan looks up at that.
Ar: zimmedar hai? You mean …?
Abhimanyu nods.
Abhi: Kaafi dinon se yahan financial irregularities chal rahi hain. Normal course mein shayad pata bhi nahin chalta … lekin recently kuch aise haalat hue hai ki chhoti chhoti baatein bahut badi ban gayi …
Ar: kya matlab? Recently kya hua hai?
Abhimanyu sighs.
Abhi: aapko world ke economics mein kitna interest hai?
Armaan looks a little blank, and Abhimanyu looks surprised.
Abhi: You disappoint me … I thought you were an intelligent guy. You do know ki saari dunia mein aajkal financial meltdown chal raha hai?
Armaan nods.
Ar: Of course … yeh kisko nahin pata …?
Abhi: To uska effect Sanjeevani par bhi …
Ar (interrupts): kaise? Sanjeevani to ek trust hai … uske deposits ke returns se hospital chalta hai … and it's a non-profit organization, so how …?
Abhi: So you do know that much … good, I'm glad I wasn't mistaken in you … well, you're right, Sanjeevani deposits ke returns se chalta hai … lekin those deposits are in investments aur … aajkal saare investments doob rahe hain … as you know (Armaan nods) … aur uske saath Sanjeevani ka capital bhi thoda dip kar raha hai - so the trustees were getting worried ... and started looking at it more closely ...
And found ....... koi yahan Sanjeevani mein, Sanjeevani ke capital ke saath … recently speculation kar raha tha … and obviously with the stock market going only one way these days … down … jo bhi yeh kar raha tha … uski risk taking ne Sanjeevani ko dubo diya hai.
Armaan listens in shock. So that is why this sudden crisis has happened … he looks at Abhimanyu …
Ar: One person can do this??!!!
Abhi: One person can dubao a whole bank … so yes, even one person can do this …
Ar: Aur aapko lagta hai ki yahan koi …
Abhimnayu nods definitely.
Abhi: It is definitely yahan koi – no question. Aur voh bhi … jise Sanjeevani ke funds ko access hai … aur zaroorat hai … it could be anyone here.
Armaan nods thoughtfully, then he looks at Abhimanyu.
Ar: So aap mujhe yeh sab kyun bata rahe ho? Main bhi to …
Abhimanyu shakes his head.
Abhi: I've done my homework, Armaan. Yahan par tumko, aur Anjali aur Riddhima ko koi financial issues nahin hai. Baaki sab ko koi na koi problem hai. From top to bottom.
Arm: So why not tell Anjali or Riddhima?
Abhi (smiles slightly): main vahi koshish kar raha tha … Riddhima ke saath. Lekin lagta hai ki voh mujhe trust karne ke liye tayyar nahin hai. And before you ask, why Riddhima, and why not Anjali …
Armaan looks enquiringly at him – that had been foremost on his mind, he just hadn't known how to ask!
Abhimanyu says simply: … I liked Riddhima.
Armaan's fists clench … he can't help it. Abhimanyu looks at his clenched fists and sighs.
Abhi: I thought so. So … main teesri baar pooch raha hun … aap dono bahut achche dost ho … ya kuch aur?
As Armaan still doesn't say anything,
Abhi adds: … you might as well tell me, you know. Tumhare liye behtar hoga. I'm only asking because mujhe triangle ka teesra angle banne ka koi iraada nahin hai.
Armaan says slowly: I told you … we're very good friends …
Abhi (impatiently): very good friends as in just good friends or the bollywood hollywood type of "good friends"? Quote unquote?
Armaan grins reluctantly and admits finally: hum ek doosre ke bahut kareeb hain … lekin yeh baat abhi koi aur nahin jaanta.
Abhimanyu nods: okay, fair enough … I guessed as much. It won't go further … lekin tum mere saath cooperate karoge?
Ar (surprised): Me? Main kya kar sakta hun?
Abhi: well – main sab ko investigate to kar raha hun …
Ar (interrupts): aap doctor ho ya CID?
Abhimanyu grins.
Abhi: better for you not to know too much … bas itna samajh lo that I have the authority to do what I'm doing …
Armaan nods.
Abhi: main investigate to kar lunga, but I'd like to know personal details from you – things I can't find out by looking at papers and accounts …
Ar (still a little puzzled): Jaise …?
Abhi: Jaise ki … kisi ko financial problems chal rahi hain … kisi ko paison ki zaroorat hai? kisi ke paas recently bahut saara paisa aa gaya hai …that you have noticed?
Armaan thinks for a moment. He shakes his head.
Ar: Not that I know of … but mujhe nahin lagta ki hum doctors mein se kisi ko itni problems hongi ki voh dishonesty par utar aayenge …
Abhi (interrupts him): did you know that Dr. Keerti has a twin sister who has been in and out of jail a few times?
Armaan stares.
Abhi: … and Keerti has to keep paying her off to keep her away and out of trouble? Did you know that Shubhankar has a daughter (Armaan nods – yes, that we all know) … did you know that Dr. Shashank has been dipping heavily into his personal finances recently and his savings are almost down to nil?
Armaan stares at that again.
Ar: Dr. Shashank ... no way …
Abhi (shaking his head): I'm not saying it's him … or anyone else … yet. Main sirf itna keh raha hun … ki koi bhi ho sakta hai, a lot of people have problems.
Ar: lekin aap sirf doctors ko kyun dekh rahe ho? Yahan par aur bhi to staff hai …
Abhi: agreed, and I'm not targeting only doctors … lekin ek to, not many other people have access to Sanjeevani accounts, except for the senior doctors and people actually in Accounts … aur doosre, mujhe aapki help sirf doctors ke liye chahiye … kyunki aap unko achchi tarah se jaante hain …
Armaan looks very reluctant.
Ar: you're asking me to spy on my friends and colleagues …
Abhimanyu says impatiently: if it's a question of saving Sanjeevani … and that includes all your friends … or saving just one of your friends … tum soch lo ki tum kya karna chahoge … It's up to you … aur tum yeh keh rahe ho that you don't think it could be any one of them … well, show me that, I'm ready to be convinced. Jaise maine kaha, main yeh sab apne shauk ke liye nahin kar raha.
Armaan nods a little reluctantly.
Ar: I'll do what I can … lekin mujhe phir bhi nahin lagta ki doctors mein se koi ho sakta hai.
Abhi: just tell me if you see anything different … that's all I'm asking. Doctors, staff, anyone …
Armaan nods and gets up.
Ar: I can do that.
He shakes Abhimanyu's hand … Abhimanyu gives a small grin.
Abhi: and don't worry … main Riddhima se door rahunga. But … (he hesitates and Armaan looks at him questioningly) …
Abhi: usse yeh baat mat bolna … what I told you about her father's financial situation … abhi nahin …
Ar (forcefully): you know … Dr. Shashank aisa nahin kar sakte …
Abhimanyu says noncommittally: From what you say … in mein se koi aisa nahin kar sakta … lekin koi to kar raha hai … that's the problem. Just keep your ears and eyes open … you know the people here better than I do … I'll do the fact-finding …
Armaan leaves … now to face Riddhima!!!!!
The next day is a bit of a red letter day – Armaan and Riddhima actually find they have fifteen minutes break together for coffee in the evening, as Armaan has lighter duties than usual because of his injured arm. They meet in the café and are just about to sit down, when Armaan feels his pocket and gives a small groan.
Ar: Pager ward mein reh gaya …
Rid: Armaan, pundrah minute ki baat hai … kuch nahin hoga … ek coffee to pee lete …
He shakes his head.
Ar: nahin Riddhima, ek patient kaafi sick hai … call aa sakti hai. I'd better go and get it … won't be a minute …
He turns and almost bumps into Abhimanyu, standing just there, who has obviously heard what he just said.
Armaan says awkwardly (after last night, he can't really be rude): sorry … didn't see you, Dr. Modi …
Abhi: it's ok … I'll keep Dr. Riddhima company till you get back.
He sits down in the chair that Armaan was going to sit in. Riddhima also now can't get up without looking rude, so she keeps sitting, looking after Armaan as he leaves.
Abhi (speaking chattily): So, Dr. Riddhima … are you okay after last night?
Rid (speaking a little coldly): mujhe kuch nahin hua tha, Dr. Abhimanyu … chot to Armaan ko lagi …
Abhi: Lekin aap kaafi ghabrayi hui thi …
Rid: Jab Armaan saath ho, to main ghabrati nahin hun … (after a short pause) … but aap kal bahut sahi vaqt par pahunche …
Abhi (sighs a little theatrically): chalo … kuch to tareef ki aapne … varna main to soch raha tha ki aap apni naraazgi kabhi nahin chodengi!
Rid (reluctantly – after all, he had come to their help when they really needed it): nahin … aisi baat nahin hai … I'm really grateful ki aap uss samay pahunch gaye.
Abhi: So am I … (he looks at her seriously, and she looks back at him, wondering a little at his tone, then she breaks his gaze and looks down into her cup. He sighs and tries to change the subject.)
Abhi: Aap dono bahut acche dost ho …?
Rid (non-committally): haan … hum sab bahut achche dost hain … bahut samay se saath kaam kar rahe hain … (she lifts her gaze and looks straight at him) … Dr. Keerti aur Dr. Shubhankar bhi … hospital mein hamare seniors hain, lekin hospital ke bahar hum unke bhi bahut close hain …
Abhimanyu sighs again, giving no sign whether he has understood the jibe about Dr. Keerti or not.
Abhi: I hope … aap log mujhe bhi aise accept kar lenge … ki hospital ke andar jo main karun … that's my job. I have to do it … I don't have a choice …
Riddhima looks at him … is he trying to explain what he did regarding Dr. Keerti, or is he getting at something else? What he is going to do in future …
Abhimanyu looks straight back at her, then shrugs, as though to say – forget it …
Abhi: Main coffee lekar aata hun … excuse me.
He gets up and goes to the counter. Atul, Anjali, Rahul and Nikita come in together, seeing Riddhima sitting alone, they come to her table.
Niki: Riddhima! Kitne din ho gaye … lagta hai it's been ages since we met!
Anj: Are Niki … hum dono ek ghar mein rehte hain … aur maine bhi Ridz ko teen din se nahin dekha! Pehle meri night duty, phir uski, phir meri … crazy schedule, man!
They all sit down noisily and start ordering their coffees. They don't notice Abhimanyu who is busy with a phone call at the counter. Their coffees arrive and they chat noisily, all complaining about the new schedules, the workload, the lack of free time …
Abhi (from behind them): I was under the impression that you all were here to work … lekin aap sab logon ko dekh ke to lagta hai ki aap yahan socialize karne aaye ho … ab galat fehmi meri hai ya aapki …?
They look around – he is standing there looking at them gently, an oh-so pleasant smile on his face.
Atul stands up looking panicked. Abhimanyu comes and sits at the table … the noise level dies instantly as all of them look at each other.
Nikita gulps her coffee … "I'm through … main jaa rahi hun …"
Atul follows her, muttering something.
Anjali makes an attempt to speak to Riddhima, ignoring Abhimanyu. Within a minute, she also gets up and leaves, followed by Rahul. Riddhima is left alone with Abhimanyu – she takes a sip of her coffee, feeling angry again, and more than a little awkward.
Rid: I think voh sab apne break par aaye the … they weren't breaking any rules.
Abhi: Did I say they were?
He smiles when he sees her angry look.
Abhi: Actually, main aapse akele mein baat karna chahta tha … so I'm glad they went …
You chased them away, you mean, Riddhima thinks, but doesn't say it out loud. Abhimanyu pulls his chair closer to hers and she looks at him, a little startled, and not too comfortable.
Abhi: Main aapse kuch pooch raha tha …
Riddhima looks enquiringly at him – she has forgotten what he was talking about.
Abhi: Kya aap mujhe bhi dost maanne ko tayyar hain … I mean, hospital ke bahar … jaise aap Dr. keerti aur Shubhankar ko maante hain … voh bhi aapke seniors hain … voh bhi wards mein kabhi kabhi kadvi baatein karte honge, daantte honge …
Rid: Haan, lekin bahar voh aise nahin hain … hamari bahut help karte hain … Muskaan Rahul ki Dr. Keerti ne itni help ki hai …
Abhi: Voh to maine bhi ki thi … kal raat ko … aapki aur Dr. Armaan ki …
She looks away. He sighs.
Abhi: Aap abhi bhi yakin nahin kar sakti ki main Armaan ko vahan chhod kar nahin jaane vala tha?
Rid (fiercely): Agar aap chhod ke jaate, to voh buzdilli hoti! Agar Armaan aapki jagah hota, to voh aisa kabhi nahin karta!
Abhi (softly): main bhi aisa kabhi nahin karta … believe me.
He puts out his hand and covers hers as it lies on the table. For a second, she stares at his hand, then at him – he looks back at her directly.
Armaan enters to see them frozen in this tableau – he stops in his tracks. He backs off quietly, half hidden behind the café door. Riddhima withdraws her hand from under Abhimanyu's.
Rid: Mera break khatam ho gaya hai … main chalti hun …
She leaves, not even noticing Armaan, her mind whirling in confusion.
Abhimanyu stares into his cup – then he looks up and sees Armaan.
Abhi: Aaiye, Dr. Armaan … baithenge? … ya aap bhi mujhe company dena nahin chahte?
Grimacing inwardly, Armaan goes to the table – after last night, he can't quite bring himself to be outwardly rude. You couldn't be rude to someone who had saved you from a thrashing by hoodlums … but why was he was trying to hold Riddhima's hand?
Ar: Nahin … aisi koi baat nahin hai … Riddhima gayi?
Abhi (sardonically): voh bhi … aur baaki sab bhi. Aapne sahi kaha tha, Dr. Armaan … aap logon mein bahut unity hai. Ek baar kisi ko dushman karaar diya, to chahe voh kuch bhi kar le, dushman hi rehta hai.
Armaan sita down and looks at him cautiously. Abhimanyu goes on.
Abhi: Lekin aap ko yeh nahin lagta … ki Sanjeevani ka dushman main nahin, koi aur hai?
Ar (carefully): kaun?
Abhi: aap log khud.
Armaan stares at him, dumbfounded.pred - 9 (this is really long .... but it's the crux of the story)
Abhimanyu's cabin – much later the same evening, after the rest have gone home.
Abhimanyu sits at his desk, Armaan sits across him, still looking cautious.
Ar: Aap kya kehne ki koshish kar rahe hain?
Abhi: Look , Armaan … pehle ek baat samajh lo … I'm really not here as the enemy. Main kisi ko nikalna chahta nahin hun … yeh mera shauk nahin hai …
Ar (sardonically): I'm glad to hear that … mujhe to lag raha tha ki …
Abhi: … aapka number kab aayega?
Both laugh slightly.
Abhi: well, you can rest assured … abhi aapka number door hai … unless of course, mera munh phir se kala karne ka irada hai … in which case, I might reconsider …
Armaan looks down, trying to hide his grin. So Modi had realized that, had he?! Well, so much for Armaan's conspiracy theories about throwing the interns out!
Abhimanyu smiles slightly as well, then speaks more seriously.
Abhi: Mere yahan sirf do kaam hain … ek to, Sanjeevani ko financial crisis se nikalna …
He pauses …
… aur doosra, yeh pata lagana ki yeh crisis hua kaise, aur kaun iske liye zimmedar hai …
Armaan looks up at that.
Ar: zimmedar hai? You mean …?
Abhimanyu nods.
Abhi: Kaafi dinon se yahan financial irregularities chal rahi hain. Normal course mein shayad pata bhi nahin chalta … lekin recently kuch aise haalat hue hai ki chhoti chhoti baatein bahut badi ban gayi …
Ar: kya matlab? Recently kya hua hai?
Abhimanyu sighs.
Abhi: aapko world ke economics mein kitna interest hai?
Armaan looks a little blank, and Abhimanyu looks surprised.
Abhi: You disappoint me … I thought you were an intelligent guy. You do know ki saari dunia mein aajkal financial meltdown chal raha hai?
Armaan nods.
Ar: Of course … yeh kisko nahin pata …?
Abhi: To uska effect Sanjeevani par bhi …
Ar (interrupts): kaise? Sanjeevani to ek trust hai … uske deposits ke returns se hospital chalta hai … and it's a non-profit organization, so how …?
Abhi: So you do know that much … good, I'm glad I wasn't mistaken in you … well, you're right, Sanjeevani deposits ke returns se chalta hai … lekin those deposits are in investments aur … aajkal saare investments doob rahe hain … as you know (Armaan nods) … aur uske saath Sanjeevani ka capital bhi thoda dip kar raha hai - so the trustees were getting worried ... and started looking at it more closely ...
And found ....... koi yahan Sanjeevani mein, Sanjeevani ke capital ke saath … recently speculation kar raha tha … and obviously with the stock market going only one way these days … down … jo bhi yeh kar raha tha … uski risk taking ne Sanjeevani ko dubo diya hai.
Armaan listens in shock. So that is why this sudden crisis has happened … he looks at Abhimanyu …
Ar: One person can do this??!!!
Abhi: One person can dubao a whole bank … so yes, even one person can do this …
Ar: Aur aapko lagta hai ki yahan koi …
Abhimnayu nods definitely.
Abhi: It is definitely yahan koi – no question. Aur voh bhi … jise Sanjeevani ke funds ko access hai … aur zaroorat hai … it could be anyone here.
Armaan nods thoughtfully, then he looks at Abhimanyu.
Ar: So aap mujhe yeh sab kyun bata rahe ho? Main bhi to …
Abhimanyu shakes his head.
Abhi: I've done my homework, Armaan. Yahan par tumko, aur Anjali aur Riddhima ko koi financial issues nahin hai. Baaki sab ko koi na koi problem hai. From top to bottom.
Arm: So why not tell Anjali or Riddhima?
Abhi (smiles slightly): main vahi koshish kar raha tha … Riddhima ke saath. Lekin lagta hai ki voh mujhe trust karne ke liye tayyar nahin hai. And before you ask, why Riddhima, and why not Anjali …
Armaan looks enquiringly at him – that had been foremost on his mind, he just hadn't known how to ask!
Abhimanyu says simply: … I liked Riddhima.
Armaan's fists clench … he can't help it. Abhimanyu looks at his clenched fists and sighs.
Abhi: I thought so. So … main teesri baar pooch raha hun … aap dono bahut achche dost ho … ya kuch aur?
As Armaan still doesn't say anything,
Abhi adds: … you might as well tell me, you know. Tumhare liye behtar hoga. I'm only asking because mujhe triangle ka teesra angle banne ka koi iraada nahin hai.
Armaan says slowly: I told you … we're very good friends …
Abhi (impatiently): very good friends as in just good friends or the bollywood hollywood type of "good friends"? Quote unquote?
Armaan grins reluctantly and admits finally: hum ek doosre ke bahut kareeb hain … lekin yeh baat abhi koi aur nahin jaanta.
Abhimanyu nods: okay, fair enough … I guessed as much. It won't go further … lekin tum mere saath cooperate karoge?
Ar (surprised): Me? Main kya kar sakta hun?
Abhi: well – main sab ko investigate to kar raha hun …
Ar (interrupts): aap doctor ho ya CID?
Abhimanyu grins.
Abhi: better for you not to know too much … bas itna samajh lo that I have the authority to do what I'm doing …
Armaan nods.
Abhi: main investigate to kar lunga, but I'd like to know personal details from you – things I can't find out by looking at papers and accounts …
Ar (still a little puzzled): Jaise …?
Abhi: Jaise ki … kisi ko financial problems chal rahi hain … kisi ko paison ki zaroorat hai? kisi ke paas recently bahut saara paisa aa gaya hai …that you have noticed?
Armaan thinks for a moment. He shakes his head.
Ar: Not that I know of … but mujhe nahin lagta ki hum doctors mein se kisi ko itni problems hongi ki voh dishonesty par utar aayenge …
Abhi (interrupts him): did you know that Dr. Keerti has a twin sister who has been in and out of jail a few times?
Armaan stares.
Abhi: … and Keerti has to keep paying her off to keep her away and out of trouble? Did you know that Shubhankar has a daughter (Armaan nods – yes, that we all know) … did you know that Dr. Shashank has been dipping heavily into his personal finances recently and his savings are almost down to nil?
Armaan stares at that again.
Ar: Dr. Shashank ... no way …
Abhi (shaking his head): I'm not saying it's him … or anyone else … yet. Main sirf itna keh raha hun … ki koi bhi ho sakta hai, a lot of people have problems.
Ar: lekin aap sirf doctors ko kyun dekh rahe ho? Yahan par aur bhi to staff hai …
Abhi: agreed, and I'm not targeting only doctors … lekin ek to, not many other people have access to Sanjeevani accounts, except for the senior doctors and people actually in Accounts … aur doosre, mujhe aapki help sirf doctors ke liye chahiye … kyunki aap unko achchi tarah se jaante hain …
Armaan looks very reluctant.
Ar: you're asking me to spy on my friends and colleagues …
Abhimanyu says impatiently: if it's a question of saving Sanjeevani … and that includes all your friends … or saving just one of your friends … tum soch lo ki tum kya karna chahoge … It's up to you … aur tum yeh keh rahe ho that you don't think it could be any one of them … well, show me that, I'm ready to be convinced. Jaise maine kaha, main yeh sab apne shauk ke liye nahin kar raha.
Armaan nods a little reluctantly.
Ar: I'll do what I can … lekin mujhe phir bhi nahin lagta ki doctors mein se koi ho sakta hai.
Abhi: just tell me if you see anything different … that's all I'm asking. Doctors, staff, anyone …
Armaan nods and gets up.
Ar: I can do that.
He shakes Abhimanyu's hand … Abhimanyu gives a small grin.
Abhi: and don't worry … main Riddhima se door rahunga. But … (he hesitates and Armaan looks at him questioningly) …
Abhi: usse yeh baat mat bolna … what I told you about her father's financial situation … abhi nahin …
Ar (forcefully): you know … Dr. Shashank aisa nahin kar sakte …
Abhimanyu says noncommittally: From what you say … in mein se koi aisa nahin kar sakta … lekin koi to kar raha hai … that's the problem. Just keep your ears and eyes open … you know the people here better than I do … I'll do the fact-finding …
Armaan leaves … now to face Riddhima!!!!!
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