After they were done Trayee called for room service to get everything cleared. There were two large sofas and a single sofa chair. Trayee, Abhirup and Surjo were already seated in one, Ritu and Pari went over to sit on the other big sofa across them. Olivia took the single-seater one.
Once they were comfortably nestled on the sofas in different weird poses Surjo said,
"Hey, Olly, you said you'd give us the details of the mission once you were back. Come on. Spill it. Was there something exciting?"
He was leaning against one corner and stroking Abhirup's head that was placed on his lap.
Trayee and Abhirup looked at her with expectant eyes.
"Nothing exciting. It wasn't even a proper case for us. Sir sent us here for vacation. The case was just an excuse." Olivia tilted her head backwards looking at the ceiling and her sharp jawline became clearly visible as a result.
"Tsk. Anyways, whatever it is. Just treat it like you're narrating a story. Tell us." Surjo said.
Trayee and Abhirup nodded supporting his words.
"Hmm. Mr Singha Roy owned several types of companies. Pharmaceutical companies and antique houses were two of them. The type of drug that they used boosted energy and concentration as well as memorising power for a short period. Exactly what college students and school students who'll be sitting for the central examinations need. Their main target was low-scoring students who wanted some luck to pass the exams. Especially rich ones. Thus they designed a very crafty distribution process." Olivia propped one leg over the other.
"You should know that recently bygone stationeries are considered lucky charms by many students. A new trend. So they used this trend as a cover-up for their distribution. They sold artificial as well as real bygone stationeries in their antique houses. The outer covering of these items is porous at a microscopic level. If these objects are anywhere around twenty centimetres from the nose the powdery drug can go inside the body when inhaled." An ink pen appeared between her fingers.
It looked similar to the one that Bani had under her pillow.
"Even if the objects are not near the nose the powder sticks to the fingers when the items are touched. If the fingers are close to the nose the powder enters the body. But there is a twist two. First, it's not as effective as direct inhalation. Second, when on the body the powder retains its effectiveness for only about five minutes. If it is not inhaled during that period it becomes useless." Olivia spun the pen in her hand making it dance on her long and slender fingers.
"These drugs work at a slow pace but they're very addictive. Only after using it for a week will one get addicted. And by a week I mean the drug has to be inhaled for a total duration of 10,080 minutes. It may not be continuous though. Once they get hooked they start to buy more and more of these lucky charms thinking they actually work." She stared at the pen spinning on her index finger like a chakra with her cold blue and green eyes.
"The selling of these were also done very carefully. The sellers kept track of the students who frequented more and increased the price gradually claiming that they were very popular and sold out quickly. Being desperate the kids spent every rupee they got for pocket money behind them. The rich kids however went for the authentic items. The objects were costly themselves and we're even more expensive because of the quality of the drug used. The higher quality was for the rich and lower quality for the poor." Olivia looked at Parijat who took out a physical notebook made of real paper.
These have been out of use for a few centuries because of the increase in deforestation. Later synthetic paper was used but since the last century, it has been totally digitalized. But books made of synthetic paper were still there. Only the remaining real items were preserved, some of which are sold at auctions.
"Irrespective of quality, long-term use of these drugs makes the consumers feel drowsy if they're not taken frequently. Their response slows down too. They feel that it's the counter-effect of losing or breaking their lucky charms. In order to not get negatively affected they keep buying them continuously." Olivia explained.
Abhirup whistled.
"So how did you find out? Drowsiness can also come from studying too much in senior years." Surjo commented.
"Marks," Olivia said.
"Red marks develop on the knuckles. Around the third knuckles of the fingers only and on all ten of them. But they're very faint. A quick glance or even staring might not be enough to identify them if the observer doesn't know what she's looking for. The pattern and intervals of them are also very important." She described.
Surjo nodded in understanding.
"And what about the higher-quality ones that you mentioned? How do you know them?" Trayee asked.
"There's a trick too. Those who were overly addicted paid for the higher-quality ones. They too came in the same objects but in very little quantities. Their effect lasted for a day or two. Except they were a sweet-smelling liquid while the lower quality one was powdery. This smell would not arouse suspicion as many such goods are scented. The liquid could also be injected directly into the body which could make its effect even stronger." Olivia said.
"How did you know there was a second one?" Abhirup asked.
"It's a common practice of people in this business," Olivia said curtly.
"So how did you find this one?" Trayee asked.
"Our dear classmate Deepa Singha Roy helped us," Parijat said.
"That idiot?" Abhirup commented.
He was the one to get information on everyone so he knew Deepa's obsession with being seen as a kind hearted and well mannered topper. She either secretly bullied those who were better but weaker than her to clear them out of her path or pulled them on her side as she did with Shreya so that she was the apple of the eye of all the teachers, students and parents. She wanted to be seen as a model student. She did not even hesitate to use the drug secretly to maintain her position.