" I guess they may be going to sleep now. Let's get ready.".
" Yes"
Ritvik nodded.
As it wasn't appropriate to switch on the light back. They switched on the table lamp that had enlightened the room appropriately.
They both changed into dark blue t-shirts and black trousers. They put on dark blue caps.
They gave each other a good Hi-fi after they had dressed.
Ritvik took out his sport's watch. He looked over Arjun as he noticed that he didn't have his beloved watch over his wrist.
"Take this"
Arjun passed him a 'Voki Toki'.
The Voki toki they had was not a professional one. But it was something that still works and could be helpful to them. And It had a hook behind it that could fix it on the belt.
Though he was in the middle of his thoughts. He caught the Toki Toki.
" You still have this."
Ritvik asked him as he hadn't seen it recently though they had played with it before.
" Yes, Dad has improved his range ."
Arjun then took out a torch and pepper spray.
He hadn't thought himself that he would be using it someday.
"Take these too, we may need it."
He then passed him both of the things and took another pair of them himself.
Ritvik looked over the things that were passed to him. He wondered if they would really need it.
Arjun and Ritvik were both looking like little officers. They were both nervous and excited. They have sneaked out at night before but it was only for the
ice - cream. This was also a little bit scary as in case they are found out it will increase their troubles a thousand times. But they felt they were ready.
" By the way Did you hear anything from the uncle?"
" Anything that was weird or anything that made you think over."
Arjun asked him, he was wondering about what could have happened. As, if someone was accusing his Uncle they would be having some evidence.
" Umm.. something strange...
Yes "
" One of his important files had gone missing a few days before. "
" In fact, I heard that some files have gone missing from some of the trustworthy colleagues. But those files were not very important for the people themselves and they didn't report anything. As Dad is the Chief Engineer he knows about it in some way. But I only heard this much. "
" Hmmm, this is really weird."
Arjun had decreased some of the things from his bag. He closed his bag and hanged it on his shoulders.
" And this is for you. "
Ritvik handed over his spare wristwatch to Arjun.
" Thanks for this. "
Arjun replied to him.
Ritvik tried looking for Rhythm.
He looked all around but he was unable to find him and then his eyes went to the book that was kept under the table lamp.
It was ' Cosmos by Carl Sagan'
It looked like Rhythm liked its cover.
Initially, Rhythm went there because he liked the lamp but the cover of the book did attract him. He can't read anything that was written there.
He was only seeing Curves and straight lines and somehow he was following every letter path.
Ritvik kept watching him from a distance as Arjun tied his watch.
Then Arjun followed his gaze to where he was looking. Arjun directly went towards the Rhythm.
" Did you like the book?"
He asked Rhythm
Rhythm turned bright purple and went to his shoulder.
" Yes," he replied.
" Ritvik I think you have got the company you needed."
He chuckled as he looked over him.
Ritvik stayed silent. He didn't speak anything.
" It's time to go."
Arjun spoke while he placed some pillows in the bed and covered them with the bedsheet. Meanwhile, Ritvik stood on the chair and looked towards his parent's room from the window above the door.
It seems that his parent's room was closed and lights were off too. Then he slowly came down and fixed a thin object into the door.
Arjun kept watching Ritvik.
" We will use bicycles to get there, not skates."
" Your bicycle has been here since last week, remember!"
" Okay, sure"
Arjun complied with him as it would be a better option.
They went towards the window and removed the curtains. Ritvik went through the window first. He asked Arjun to pass his bag.
Ritvik felt very surprised as he received his bag, he wanted to ask him what he was carrying inside, but kept his thoughts and assisted him to trespass through the window. They passed through the small alleyway and slowly made their way to the back of the house. While they picked up their bicycles…
" Give me your backpack, you can't take care of it."
"Whoa... Says who, I can't even take care of my backpack?"
" Do you want to test me, Arjun?"
"Pa... Pa"
Ritvik slowly raised his voice.
" Okay-Okay, take it"
Arjun handed his bag over to Ritvik. He felt really irritated.
' Just you try catching me on a bicycle, Ritvik.'
They passed their home taking a different route to the office. Arjun rushed his bicycle through the street while Ritvik was still riding at his normal speed he didn't seem to invoke.
From a distance, Arjun saw the cross-section on the other end of the street. He didn't know which one to choose so he simply slowed down his bicycle.
Ritvik giggled from the distance while slowly catching him up.
" I guess someone needs help with direction."
" Nope, you are mistaken... I was just letting you catch me up."
Arjun replied him showing no
sign of disapproval.
The passage was silent. The street was dimly lit with the street lamps. They both were under the dark cloudy sky making their way to their destination.
" By the way Arjun... How did you know someone is conspiring against my father?"
" Do you think Starlite Electronics, a company so concerned about their stardom will announce to the whole World that their central system is not working?"
" You know I couldn't digest this thing. "
Arjun looked over to Rhythm while he was still on his bicycle.
" I agree with you in this but I still don't understand. "
Arjun smiled
" No problem "
" Do you remember the missing Musical Compass's case?"
Arjun said while going forward along with his bicycle.
" yes... I do...how can I forget that case?"
Ritvik spoke with a pause while looking towards him with his confident gaze as they both advanced forward together.
" Wait a minute… Were you the one behind the scene?"
He stopped on his spot.
" Yes, It was Mohit's fault that he didn't notice that I was the one behind his seat."
Arjun replied as he turned back towards Ritvik.
After completing his words, he turned forwards and advanced ahead.
"Truly he messed with wrong people."
Ritvik said with a peal of slight laughter and advanced towards Arjun. He reached him in no time.
" People… Did Rakesh say something harsh to him?"
" I hadn't seen any teacher paying attention to this incident."
Arjun said while turning towards him.
Ritvik smiled a little.
" Did you notice other student behaviour towards him?"
Ritvik asked
" yes... I did… He had a hard time borrowing anything again from someone…. Well deserved.
Arjun answered
" Not alone in our class but he had a hard time borrowing in the whole school. "
Arjun looked over him with surprise. While he paused a little.
" Whole School… How do you know about it?"
" Other than being a monitor of the class, I was also the house representative of juniors. "
" It seems a little surprising that we have become high schoolers now."
" Yes I agree. But you will still be our monitor".
Arjun had a gentle smile on his face.
" By the way what did you do that time?"
" Nothing big, I had seen Mohit hiding the 'Musical Compass' in Sneha's backpack. While he was busy pretending that he had lost Rakesh's Musical Compass. I had already removed it from her bag and placed it in his bag.
So when he blamed Sneha and checked her bag he didn't find anything inside. "
' So that's what happened. '
" And then you asked Rakesh to check his backpack. Where it was found. "
Ritvik said while he took a turn towards the next street and stopped there.
" True...Then the rest of the things were handled by you. And Thus everything came before everyone's eyes."
Arjun came towards him.
" Yes... But how is it related to my father? " Ritvik asked
"I have the same cocky feeling as before."
"It is as if just like Mohit someone already knew before that this is going to happen. That they already knew who is the culprit.As if they were the one who had planned it."
Hearing this Ritvik felt very worried. This put him into deep thoughts.
" Hey, we still have to find out. It is only my imagination. "
Arjun was waving him both hands towards him. Trying to bring him back into senses.
Ritvik noticed Arjun. He simply smiled.
"The fourth building along your left. We have reached our destination".
Arjun turned and realized they had truly reached.
To their surprise.
Rhythm flew over from Arjun's shoulder and ascended forward.
" Hey rhythm, wait for me…