A to Z Challenge: Undercover

Links to Previous Parts:
Rising
Soliloquy
Trip

Riya stepped into the cool air conditioned cafe after finding a secure parking space for her car. A million questions were buzzing through her mind. Why had he diverted her so close to their destination. Why had he insisted on coming into this cafe? What was he trying to do? Was he some kind of detective? She walked upto the table that he had acquired for them. He held out a menu to her and said "Order." "I'll just have a black coffee please", Riya said bending over the menu wondering if she could afford lunch at this place. She did go out on weekends, but she tried to keep away from the fancier spots.

"Smile," he demanded. "Really", she hissed in an undertone. " Now you will issue orders to me?" "Well it's not funny business. Isn't that what you asked me for? This is important. It's a matter of life and death." "Then tell me what it's about? Maybe I can help." "But it 's a confidential matter. Something I am investigating as a matter of fact. You cannot help me. Nobody can." "Just try me." "No, this is where we will wait. Until I can think of what I must do next."

He stepped away to go to the washroom, she assumed. She opened her purse and drew out her phone. There were three missed calls. She dialed hoping to get the conversation over with before he came back. She should tell them that this was interfering with her day job. She couldn't afford it anymore. They would have to do better on her payments if they wanted her to continue. But she found herself at the end of a 5 minute phone call, the recipient of a photograph and a contract the result of not being able to say no.

A to Z Challenge: Trip

Links to Previous Parts:
Rising
Soliloquy

Riya drove slowly past the new Starbucks that had opened on the Link Road. "Does this work?" she said, slightly tilting her head towards the back of the car. He gave an almost imperceptible nod of the head. She drew up alongside the kerb and pressed the End Trip button. Her wallet refreshed and she unlocked his door to allow him to disembark. 

"You are coming with me," he exclaimed. " What about my trips? I have to make my required number," Riya retorted angrily. " How about I pay you for the whole day?" He shot back. " What's the catch?" She said narrowing her eyes at him. This wasn't the first time she had had to fend off the unwanted attentions of a customer. But he did not seem to be that sort of chap.

"There is no catch," he sighed. " If you want, we can get this cup of coffee. Then you can drive me around all you want! There is somewhere I have to be. That is also somewhere I don't want to be. I am willing to make it worth your while." "Ok, I will try it for an hour, but I am warning you .. No funny business."

A to Z Challenge: Soliloquy

Rising

A man got into her cab at the airport. Riya was already disgruntled, this guy didn't bother stowing his suitcase in the open trunk. She has had to get out of her idling car and set it to rights, all the while hoping that the airport cop did not give her a ticket. She opened the separating door with more than  usual force and asked the customer in a clipped tone, "Where would you like to go today?" Nick jerked out of his reverie as if slapped and said, "Powai". "Why do I get all the weird ones?", thought Riya to herself as she banged the opening shut again." In my cab and life, both."

Nick was trying to call her. She wasn't picking up. But then she never did pick up when he dialed her at this time. He hadn't asked her what she was up to.  He wasn't sure if he wanted to know. What he did not know could not hurt him.  But with every inch that he was getting closer to discovering the truth. Why was he doing this to himself? Trying to surprise her, startle her almost into a confession, by landing up at her door unannounced. This wasn't how he envisioned it all coming to an end.

"Let's not go to Powai", he boomed suddenly. "Stop at the next coffee shop you see." Riya started. She wondered what was with him. She felt like she was suddenly stuck in a parallel universe where she was in a spy movie or something. She stole a glance carefully in the rear view mirror. He was still stuck deep in thought, his eyebrows were furrowed and he was frowning at his phone. She did not where this day was taking her and she wasn't sure she liked it very much.

A to Z Challenge: Rising

A loud noise on the television woke her up. She had fallen asleep on the plastic chairs she was resting on with her feet up. It was almost morning- what poets wax eloquent about- the magical hour before dawn, when the blue of the sky is a brilliant blue, when the yellow of the sun soothes before burning. For Riya, it wasn't very magical. It meant she had woken up way too early before the start of the day. She rubbed her eyes trying to rid them of any residual sleep. This was beginning to happen way too often for her liking.

She walked into the tiny balcony which extended out from her living room. There wasn't enough space even to swing a cat in. That phrase had always fascinated her. Why would anyone want to swing a cat in a room. It was sure something to think about. Her room mates would be up soon. Before the flat was filled with the bustling noise of thumping footsteps, she savored the last quiet few moments of solitude. It was impossible to be alone in Mumbai. Wherever you went, you felt like you were being carried along by a sea of humans.

Her morning tasks done, she headed down 15 floors to start her work day. If walking in Mumbai was being carried along by a sea of humans, driving was like following a trail of ants walking in a line. It was exhausting and mind numbing to say the least. There used to be a time when she had enjoyed driving in Mumbai. Now it was just part of the job. She swung the cab door open and stepped in. Switching on the Uber app on her phone, she accepted the first ride of the day and drove into the packed road.

A to Z Challenge: Questions

Hanged

Insomnia
Jaded

Keeper
Labour

Mystery
News
Ominous
Punishment

Rini sank onto the pillared courtyard of the village school. Her movements had woken up Aryan who now joined her. One look at her ashen face was enough to tell him that she had found out something unpleasant. He made her sit down and recount what happened. His first reaction the next morning was to limit her interaction with the villages. He took up the maximum of the field work she had to do. He had watched her enough number of times now to do the heavy lifting. He hoped to reduce the chances of anyone recognizing her.

The second thing Aryan did was book them onto an earlier flight. He wanted to get her out of the village and away as soon as possible. Three days of very very hard work on Aryan's part, a million anxious calls from her mother and a lot of irritation from her side, she found herself on the dusty road to the nearest railway station. They paid off their driver and headed to the burning hot platform for their interminable wait for their sloth like passenger train.

Aryan headed off in the pursuit of sweet milky tea and Rini collapsed, wilting in the sun, on the nearest bench, Suddenly, a huge platoon of people dismounted from a local train. It seemed to be the entourage of a politician. She craned her neck to get a better view of the main guy so to speak. A shiver passed through her. This was the same face that flashed before her every single day in her nightmares.