The House Guest
Chapter Three: The Man Who Met The Woman
"Yes she said right now. No, I don't know why. Well what do you think?" Arnav struggled to button the cuff of his shirt while cradling the phone between his ear and his shoulder. "Oh yeah sure. Oh, hi Di. Sorry. Aakash couldn't make it because Trixy Two-Tits was too good to leave' Yes I am aware that having two tits is not a feat but the point is will Di care? Good. I'll meet you there, then."
Arnav finished knotting his tie and rolled his shoulders in his Billy Reid suit. He sighed, checked the safety on his gun and holstered it, grabbing the mop he had placed beside the front door before turning off the lights and leaving his apartment.
Half an hour later, he was sitting down on one of Anjali's sofa, careful not to step on the congealing brown puddle on the floor in front of another of them. His sister sat on the sofa at a right angle to his, smiling as she gestured to the tray of tea and biscuits she had laid out on the coffee table.
"Where's Aakash?" she asked, peering over his shoulder as though Aakash were just outside.
"He's on his way."
"He better not be at LaLa's again."
Arnav remained silent, pouring himself a cup of Darjeeling tea. He forewent the biscuits.
"So, what is it you need me to do?"
"It would appear that somebody has been conducting somewhat objectionable business on our territory."
"I would counter that we are also conducting somewhat objectionable business on our territory and doing pretty well at it. If they're not bothering or competing with us, then why interfere?"
"First of all, I never said that they weren't doing either of those things. Second, shut up, drink your stupid tea and let me finish."
Arnav shrugged.
"We allow drug trafficking to go on under our noses because that way at least we can monitor it and make sure it doesn't get out of hand, and also because Papa always taught us that drugs are the one business not to go into if we want to stay out of prison. This is different. This is unacceptable and I will not tolerate it. This is human trafficking, Arnav and I won't have it. I want you to find out what's going on and I want it shut down."
Arnav slowly put down his teacup, the delicate China clinking gently against the plate as he did so. "Human trafficking?"
"Yes. Girls being tricked into coming to this country and becoming prostitutes against their will."
"And you know this for a fact?"
Anjali's eyes flashed angrily, "Do you doubt me?"
"No. It was just a starter question.. How do you know?"
"I found a girl outside Hyde Park station today, she was dressed in traditional Indian clothes and just sitting on the pavement sobbing her eyes out, I brought her home and she told me her story and now she's asleep in the Guest Room."
Arnav looked at his sister as though she had gone completely insane. Which, apparently, she had.
Anjali spent the next few minutes filling her brother in on Khushi's story. Arnav listened, his fists clenching. When Anjali finished, he looked at her silently for several long moments.
"What do you want me to do about it?"
"Well... find out who this Gari Mami character is and destroy her."
Arnav shook his head. "What would that achieve? Somebody else would just rise up through the ranks. We'd have to dismantle the entire operation. It would take time and resources and manpower which at the minute, with this whole Malhotra thing hanging by a thread, we can't really afford to sacrifice."
"Arnav! This woman is destroying these young girls' lives. We can't let her get away with it!"
"How many peoples' lives do we destroy, Di?"
"That's different." She wafted her hand in front of her face, dismissing his point as though he didn't even have one.
"No, Di. It isn't. Even though I agree with you, that it's despicable and it makes me sick, right now, an operation of this scale launched on somebody who isn't even bothering us, it's just not feasible. Not until we deal with Malhotra."
"But... I promised."
"Oh Di." Arnav rubbed his temples. "Why would you do that?"
"Just meet her, Arnav. Just once. And after that I'll do whatever you say."
Arnav rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Sure you will. Because you always do whatever I tell you to."
Anjali smiled and drew a big X over her chest with her finger. "Cross my heart and hope to die. Stick a needle in my eye. Promise." She held out her pinkie finger and Arnav, grinning despite himself, linked his with hers.
Khushi woke to the sound of raucous laughter coming from downstairs and the low humming of a TV following it.
She spent a few moments adjusting to where she was and she felt her heart begin to race as she remembered the past few days of her life. Just last week she'd been excitedly packing her bags to come to England. So filled with giddy joy and hope at the prospect of her mysterious, educated, handsome husband to be.
And now?
More laughter erupted from the distance.
Khushi suddenly felt suffocated by the room. She could feel a blanket of fear threatening to drop down and consume her so she quickly got up and ran out. "Miss Anjali?!" she called, running down the corridor towards the staircase. "Miss Anjali!"
She glanced behind her to make sure she heading the right way when she felt herself collide with something warm and hard.
Another body.
She felt two hands grip tightly onto her arms to prevent her from crashing to the ground from the momentum as they both spun around.
"Watch where you're going, you idiot."
Khushi sprung away, the male voice making her shudder. She stared down at his neatly polished shoes and the immaculately cuffed hems of his trousers. She began to back away. Still refusing to glance up.
"Hey. Wait," she heard the voice call, but then the floor began swimming before her eyes. She looked up, panicked, and saw a blurry figure double as her eyes hazed. Her mind was clouding over and she could feel herself losing control of her muscles.
Arnav gawked at the woman who was now staring up at him like a hare who had just sensed a particularly hungry fox.
And that's when he saw her sway.
Her hand went to her head.
Oh crap. Is she going to? Oh my God she's actually going to faint.
He ran towards her.
Chapter Four: The Hair Tangled In The Button
Edited by indolamines - 9 years ago