Lying For A Living

13

Vansh yawned and sat back in his chair. Kabir had agreed to spend the night at Vansh's home so that they could figure something more. So far, they had only minimal information about the case, and Vansh had been determined to know more. They had run the video coverage of the night again and again but nothing had come up yet.

"I need a break, man," Kabir said. They had been working for about three hours, going over records and papers on international ties and going through all the footages of the London Convention. Vansh smiled and said, "Let's fix something to eat."

As they were cooking their dinner, Kabir asked, "So, where did you start off?"

Vansh looked at him and asked, "They didn't tell you?"

Kabir looked surprised and asked, "What?"

"Then I guess you should know. I should be tried for treason," Vansh said silently.

Kabir stopped stirring the chicken. "What do you mean? Who are you?"

Vansh looked at him and said, "I'm an X."

"That's all right. I am too. But why treason?" Kabir asked.

"Heard of Samarth Balakrishnan?" Vansh asked.

"Yeah. Ex Director of RAW. Wonderful man, I heard. Though turned a traitor? The government data was leaked recently. He sold the country's secrets," Kabir said.

"I killed him," Vansh said.

Kabir looked shell shocked. "Are you... I mean... are you Vansh Rathore? Like, The Vansh Rathore?"

Vansh looked at him and said, "Yeah, though I am not what you think I am."

"A hero? Yes you are! Took on sixteen men alone in Afghanistan? Saved your convoy in Iraq? Hell man, you're my idol," Kabir exclaimed.

"I'm not what I once was Kabir, you should know that," Vansh said solemnly.

"Man, you were the best there'll ever be. No wonder they brought you in on this," Kabir said in the voice of a child who had just met his hero. "I gotta ask you... how did you end up here? As a martial arts teacher? I thought you went rogue and were killed. Hell, everybody thinks that."

"I was almost killed, Kabir. And after this, I'm disappearing again. You know, when I was about your age, I did the most stupid thing a person in our profession can do," Vansh said, his gaze on the floor as he could not stop his emotions of utter despair showing on his face. He sat down on a chair.

Kabir followed him and sat down opposite to him. He looked at the man expectantly. "I fell in love, Kabir. I married a woman. I had a beautiful daughter," Vansh said, his voice betraying him and cracking as he said this. Kabir was shocked again.

He understood what had happened. "You didn't pull the b****y trigger, Vansh!"

"I might as well have. You don't just leave a job we do. I shouldn't have married her, I shouldn't have had a kid," Vansh said.

Kabir placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sometimes you just can't control things, Vansh. You can't control love," he said in a soothing voice.

"Well judging by how things worked, I should have tried, at least. I ruined both of their lives," Vansh said.

"So you are going to keep blaming yourself for the rest of your life?" Kabir asked.

"I should and I will," Vansh replied.

"You know," Kabir said. "I always tell myself this. Everybody wants to have a normal life. Job, wife, kids, retirement, calm death in the bathtub. But we choose a life more meaningful, Vansh. It might not be that long or that safe, but it is worth, you know."

"The logical part of me realises that, Kabir. But not this part," Vansh said, pointing to his chest.

A minute of silence passed between them. "So Balakrishnan did it?" Kabir asked. Vansh nodded an affirmative. "He was innocent then, he wasn't a traitor? He didn't sell secrets?" Kabir followed up.

"The only crime he did was order my wife's and daughter's execution. And I made him pay for that." Vansh replied firmly.