Heaven in Hell

SECOND DAY

DAY 2:

PRESIDENT OF INDIA’S OFFICE:
1000 hours
AGENT PRESCOTT

Checking the door and lobby to see that it's all clear, I twist the arm of the President’s PA and get rewarded an off-the-books meeting with the President within seconds. Smiling like a perfect gentleman, I sit in the waiting room for my turn. Across the room, the PA glares at me while rubbing his arm.

After a wait of 10 minutes, I stride in the office of my Supreme Commander-in-Chief and ensuring that no other person is inside, I lock the door and salute him.

Returning my salute, he immediately jumps in, “I heard Aarham did a number on you. Do you need some additional training to handle a few low-life terrorists?”

“I can take a little torture just fine sir. No sir, no additional training is needed. It was my fault for being captured and it won’t happen again. I actually came here to discuss the formation of a covert force for handling these terrorists.”

“Why do you need a team? Why covert? What would be the budget? Who would be the team members?”

“I just need your approval on my resignation from the armed forces.”

“Is this because of Aarham?”

“No sir. I’ll continue serving. Just not publicly. The team needs to have absolute authority to do anything they like without it being traced back to you or any wing of the armed forces. That is why this meeting is off-books and there is no budget.”

“Then who would join the team? You have somebody in mind?”

“I’ll handle the rest, sir and whenever I feel that you need to be informed of something, I’ll make necessary arrangements. But whatever I do from now on is as an individual who has gone rogue or crazy. It won’t fall on your shoulders.”

“Should I be afraid of this force? What if somebody gets power hungry?”

“I’ll handle it sir”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Yes sir. If you do not accept the resignation, I would be going MIA. You would be wasting a significant amount of resources in trying to track me down.”

“Then, why inform me and ask for permission at all?”

“I just came here to collect my burn wounds. I have given you enough opportunities to praise me. I figured it was only fair that I come and collect my praise this time too.”

He just stared at me and handed me the approved resignation.

“Just one request sir”

“What now?”

“I won’t submit this resignation atleast until the end of the month and therefore, I would like this to remain between us. Not even your PA or your wife must know about this”

“Fair enough”

Saluting, I left the office and smiled at the glaring PA thanking him for his kind assistance in booking the meeting.

Now, I have one month, a well-deserved punishment to deliver and an overdue meeting to attend.

--

SECRET LOCATION
0310 HOURS

OFFICER ROSHESH VAZA
I was rudely woken by the incessant ringing of my cellphone. Contemplating whether to pick the damn device up or return to my peaceful slumber, I belatedly realize who the ringtone belongs to.

I sprang up the sheet before I am forced to sign myself up for an ‘awareness’ training and answer with a crisp “Yes father”

“Took you quite long to realise the slightly different ringtone. Don’t think I didn’t notice the slight variation in your ringtone set for me.”

I stayed silent. How am I supposed to be up and alert at fucking 0310 hours when he has me at my wits end everyday with his standards.

“I’m coming tomorrow evening. Make the necessary arrangements.”

With that, he cut the call. Normal people would text this simple line or act a little ashamed for waking you up or pretend to care about your life. Not this man.

Sighing, I decide to accumulate some extra sleep knowing what the evening might entail.

--

0810 HOURS
OFFICER SIDDHARTH MISHRA:

Officer Roshesh Vaza pulls me inside his room before I could go to the Officer’s Mess.

“I have to inform you something. Have a seat, Sid”

Knowing this must be about my ‘incident’, I take a seat on his chair and raise one brow urging him to continue.

“I don’t know what this entails. But Agent Prescott is coming in the evening and would be staying here it seems.”

“Anything else?”

“Negative. He did not say that he is coming for you, but I doubt this is just a regular visit.”

Nodding, I tap him on the shoulder and we continue to the Officer Mess for a delicious meal. If I have only a few hours of peace, I plan to enjoy them.

--

2200 hours
KYRA IRANI

Another day finally ends. Officer Siddharth has not treated us any differently than the other cadets and for that I’m very thankful. After the extra push-ups and dips yesterday, I don’t think I would have survived today with the same treatment too. My upper body is still sore even after the relaxing 2 minutes warm shower.

As I make my way across the grinder for a much needed meal, I am greeted by the sight of Agent Prescott resting on the top rock while Officer Siddharth runs across the grinder carrying a plank and dumping it on the fork lift kept beside Agent Prescott. Without resting, he runs somewhere else while Agent Prescott taunts, “I said running, not walking.”

Not wanting to be unnecessarily roped in, I take a detour to the mess to enjoy some food therapy.

--

DAY 3
0310 HOURS
OFFICER SIDDHARTH MISHRA

Every nerve on my body is on fire.

Just as I had completed my dinner, Agent Prescott entered the Officer’s Mess. Wordlessly, he grabbed my collar and dragged me to the grinder. Eerily calm, he pointed to the planks laying at the bottom of the first hill and said, “Run with one of these across the scenic route and drop it on this forklift. Tell me when you have accumulated all the planks here.”

Between his meditation, push-ups, planks and sit-ups, he would taunt my slow pace of 8 miles per hour, my stupidity, my lack of awareness among other things.

Till 0300 hours, Agent Prescott has me running around the academy with a plank and now, I’m in a push up position under the very same pile of planks I put on the forklift.

My thigh and calf muscles are screaming for some rest. My lungs have calmed enough to not make me look like an asthma patient. But my shoulder and arms haven’t stop shaking. Agent Prescott, who claims to be unable to sleep with the constant noises I’m making, is glaring at me as if I were the sole reason his life has been hell from time unknown.

And all I can think about is the crazy video I saw on Youtube today. The baby was so adorable lip-syncing.