“Nothing.” He shook his head. “They kidnapped Iram. Atharva ran after them.”
“When?”
“Just now… he ran in the dark.” He pointed to the dark windows. Samar broke into a sprint down the alley, breaking out into the compartment connecting their bogie to the next one. People, officers, the entire train out.
“Who were they?!” He yelled at the man on his heel, Fahad and others behind him.
“I don’t know.”
“Who are you?” Samar turned to him. “How do you know Atharva and Iram?”
“I am Iram’s neighbour, Mirza. We were going to Srinagar when these people attacked our bogie and dragged her away. They killed two people…” he shuddered.
Samar gestured to their security men — “Find out what happened.”
“Samar Bhai…” Fahad’s eyes were wide.
“Call Atharva.”
He pulled out his mobile.
Samar crossed the bogie and jumped down onto the stormy, freezing ground. A team of Railway Police was huddled close to a pole, emergency lights in hand.
“Where did they go?” He asked one of them, swiping up his phone. “Who were they?”
“Get back inside.”
“I am ex-SFF Captain Dr. Samar Dixit. My friend Atharva Kaul ran after them. Now tell me.”
“That way. He chased a car on foot,” one of them pointed. Samar stared at the darkness leading into the thickets as he shared their location with the militia he had brought along. He hit call.
“How far are you from this location?”
“30-40 minutes.”
“Make it 20 minutes and be here.”
“Ok…”
“Get all backup.” Samar ended the call, then scrolled to Murtuza’s number and hit dial. No answer. He paced back and forth, checking for Atharva’s GPS. Nothing. He tried to dial Atharva. Nothing. He refreshed his own network, then his messages. Nothing from Atharva.
Samar pulled out his burner phone and dialled the number he had not thought he would dial ever again.
“Yes, Dr. Dang?”
“Is this you?”
“Yes, it’s me, Sufiyaan.”
Samar clicked his jaw. “These men who kidnapped Iram. Are they yours?”
“How do you know? Are you still tailing her?”
“Leave her. We did not agree to this.”
“You gave me an opening. Now your work is done. Step back and let me do this my way.”
“If something happens to h…”
