When I woke up, I saw myself in the bed, with an ice bag kept on my forehead. My mom was stroking and pressing my head with her adorable hands. Dad and Ionen were sitting in front of me. And to my greatest surprise Fred and my boss were standing beside the bed with a guilty look. Their eyes and face was faced downwards.
I immediately realized what might have happened. My dad might have taken the phone when I fell down and said something to Fred that made them understand their guilt.
I tried to sit but my mom forced me back.
'Mr. Nora,' said Fred, still having the guilty look 'You have to come.'
"What!!??" I thought to myself.
'But,' said my Boss 'your solution is done.'
'What solution?' I asked quite in a harsh way.
'We have booked a cab that will take your bro to the police station.'
'NO!!!!' I screamed 'I won't leave Ionen alone in the streets!!!!!'
'No dear,' said dad 'me and my mom will also go with him.'
'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' I screamed even louder.
'Just stay calm and come with us Mr. Nora.' Said boss 'We have booked a very trustworthy cabman. We have his number too. You can contact him if you wish to. He will be here within just about five minutes.'
I was about to again scream but I stopped myself. My boss might be a very harsh person but he was not a cheater after all. Deadly thoughts were still coming to my mind like what if the cabman was a kidnapper or a murderer. He was a stranger after all. But still Boss wouldn't book such a cabman. There is nothing to worry about, but still. I recovered myself and got up to my feet.
'Okay, I am coming. Mum, Dad, Ionen, are you sure about this?'
'Yes, don't worry about us,' said dad 'worry about your meeting. Good luck my boy!'
'Okay, take care. I am going to dress up.'
I went to the dressing room. I didn't know why but I was feeling that something would go wrong. I put on my uniform and my coat. I also took some stationaries in case I would have to draw cartoons. I returned back to the room.
Only Fred was present in the room, standing idly.
'Where is everyone Mr. Oliver?'
'Your family has already left and boss is returning after seeing them off in the cab. There he is. Have you settled them finely boss?'
'Yep, come on Mr. Nora. Our cab is waiting outside. I had booked a different cab for the three of us also.'
'Okay boss, let's go.' I said a bit worriedly.
The two of them went away. I followed them. Not able to resist anymore, I phone called Ionen. He picked up the phone.
'Hey Ionen, is everything all right?'
'Yes Mark, everything's fine.'
'Where are you now?'
'Police station is not far........emergency...…don't ask questions. What...…Fred said......…after.......we left....'
I was amazed. Why will Ionen ever keep the phone in hold position in the middle of his words? I was about to clear out my query but I stopped. Ionen was not such a person that he would do something without any special reason. I framed the un-hold words said by him. It stood- 'Police station is not far. Emergency. Don't ask questions. What Fred said after we left?'
'"Boss is returning after seeing them off. There he is. Have you settled them finely boss?''' I just said it in one breathe.
'Okay bye! Come.....' and he hung up the phone.
I got even more worried. What might be going on there in the cab?
'Mr. Nora!' my boss called 'Come fast. Our cab is waiting'
I was worried a lot about my parents and Ionen. I was sure that something went wrong. I still motivated myself and rushed to the garage and snatched my helmet and key from the hanger. I was in the road within a split of a second. The blank expressions of Boss and Fred were gazing at me.
I again started framing the words while rushing my bike towards the police station. "Near the police station…..Emergency" this might have meant that the cabman had done something bad while they were very close to the station. Very close to the station? But there are on duty officers and CCTVs very close to the station. Moreover it was the main road. CCTVs and the traffic polices are present everywhere. The cabman could only safely do something wrong in a village or in a small town. Means from very near the police station, the cabman had drifted to any village road.
I went and parked my bike at the point just before the police station range started. I went to a passers-by.
'Sir, do you know any village or small town's road nearby?'
'Yes sir. The way from which you came, take a U- turn towards that way itself. The first turn towards the left will bring you to a road which will lead you straight towards the St. Louis' village.'
I took a U-turn and in just about a hundred meters, I saw a narrow road to my left. I turned towards that side. The road was completely empty and I was rushing with full speed. While rushing I again thought of Ionen's words. He might have left the big holds because he didn't want the cabman to know what he was actually informing me. He only released the holds in those times when he wanted to inform me of his words. Ionen was indeed very intelligent.
Half an hour went by. The population of houses was zero. I started thinking that the man gave me some wrong data. I was entering the village area as I started seeing big paddy fields in my either sides. I drove for another fifteen minutes. I was thinking of U-turning my bike to my surprise I saw the figure of a small car quite far away from me, driving away. I lowered my bike's speed, just trying to ensure that the car was in the range of my sight. I went a bit more close to the car and could easily identify the backs of the three of my family members. I again slowed my bike, just trying to keep the car in my sight.
I noticed the car parking at the side of the road. I too parked my bike. I was watching them carefully. The driver came out and took out his pistol. He opened the back door. Mom, Ionen and Dad came out one after another. They went down to the fields as instructed by the driver. I saw them walking towards a mud house in the mid of the fields.
My phone rang. It was the General.
'Hey Mr. Nora bring Ionen here fast. Just thirty minutes left for three.'
I explained the General my entire situation.
'Oh no! Don't worry. We will be soon there to help you out.' And the general hung up.
I tiptoed towards the car and then I entered the fields. I saw them getting inside the mud house. I went there and peeped inside through the window.
The three of them were standing facing the man. The man was pointing the pistol at them. The bodies of the poor farmer, his daughter and his wife were lying lifelessly on the floor.
'I am given money for this, innocent guys,' said the man 'I have to kill you. Any last words?'
I knew that I needed to immediately do something. I picked up a stone, aimed it and threw it. To my surprise, my aim was absolutely correct. The pistol fell from the man's hand and broke into two pieces.
'Who was that?' he growled angrily.
'It's me young fella.' said I from the door less entrance.
He turned towards the door and saw me. Ionen kicked at the left ankle from behind with his left leg. I and Ionen jumped upon him. We hit him in a pell-mell manner, kicks, punches etc. He was finally knocked out and was lying unconsciously on the ground.
The general soon arrived with a few cops and arrested the man and put him in the jeep.
'Good job done by both of you.' Remarked the General.
'So General, I am currently rushing towards my office. You please take Ionen and my parents for the interview.'
'Mark,' said Ionen 'I am happy you understood my code words. But tell me one thing. When Fred said you that boss was returning after seeing them off was the door still swinging? Try to remember it. It is an important data.'
'Mmmmm, yeah! The door was still swinging.'
'Hmmm, General do you have any ongoing cases?' asked Ionen.
'No. But why did you ask that?'
'Can you please go and investigate that Mr. Fred Oliver, a colleague of Mark, is having any twin or not? And if yes, bring both Fred and his twin to the police station, and if no, bring Fred Oliver himself to the police station. I want to have a talk after my interview.'
'Why, what happened?'
'The main criminal of this crime of kidnapping us is the one whom I am asking you to bring. My work in the police station will be just to make him confess the truth.'
'What?! Can you explain?'
'With pleasure! But later on. Its thirty minutes past three. The FBI people have already arrived I guess. Mark I recommend you too to leave too. And general, please take us to the police station also.'
'Oh yes! They must be waiting. But Mr. Delbis, the self-respect of the Moscow Forces are in your hands. If we find out that your deductions are even a bit wrong and Fred or his twin is innocent, the self-respect of the Moscow-forces will be no more.'
'General, I assure you that you can trust me.'
'Okay, you have proven yourself in the past. I trust you. Now come fast in the jeep.'
'Okay general.'