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“What is that?” The nurse ran ahead to check the monitor.  The beeps were from the other end of the ward.  She picked up the intercom to inform the nurse on duty and she heard the crashing sound...! She pressed the emergency button and the paramedics downstairs dashed to the elevator.  

Everyone looked around in horror.  The nurse dashed to the corner... The beeps died out.  She checked the boy... unconscious, with tubes attached to his body, his oxygen mask was intact on his face...! She checked his pulse looking at the monitor.  She dashed to her bey to check his records. The ward in charge entered hurriedly to assess the chaos.  Nothing... Practically nothing had happened.  The monitor seemed to have malfunctioned.  The instrument was removed immediately and was replaced.  The nurse breathed a sigh.  Dhatri was fast asleep oblivious to the chaotic condition around.  

She opened her eyes after a while to survey the situation.  The ward seemed to have calmed down.  Dhatri wouldn’t keep it like that.  She looked at the prick marks on her hands and her blood boiled.  They had tortured her for no fault of hers and her so called team had done nothing to rescue her.  Hatred surged through her spine.  She winced.  “I will show you all...!” she turned to her side.  The hooter shrieked suddenly and the entire ward filled with warning buzzers...! The security and paramedics dashed in...!

Dhatri had turned in her sleep drawing the sheet over her head.  “Wait and see what I can do...!” She mumbled in her sleep.  The buzzer seemed to have malfunctioned....! But as the precautionary measure, the ward must be evacuated....! The paramedics started moving the rotary beds, the equipments and the chaos prevailed.  Dhatri’s bed was moved out and they kept the patients, temporarily in a make shift emergency room.  People and patients cramped in the tiny room and Dhatri got up looking frightened....! A small boy came and sat on her bed.  She smiled at him and he pointed at his tummy...! She could sense his illness...! 

“What did they do to you?” she asked trying to control her fingers from touching his tummy.   “Zishan.. come here...!” his mother was at the bed.  They boy got down from Dhatri’s bed.  Dhatri looked at his pale mother... “She is not well.... “ Dhatri could sense.  

“Indian?” Dhatri could muster up her courage to ask the question.  “No.. Pakistani...” the mother answered.  Dhatri held her hand.  The lady sat on her bed.

“What did they do to your son?” Dhatri asked, for the first time exercising self control. 

“Alla Jaaney....! He complained of stomach pain... They said he has cancer...!” The lady had tears in her eyes.  “We can’t afford medical expenses.... No Insurance.. you see!” the real trouble was money.  Dhatri nodded in realization.

“What happened to you? Drugs?” The lady asked her.  Dhatri shook her head.  “Not well!” she only answered.  Suddenly she got to her feet, making up her mind said in a hushed voice... “Look.. If I pass out... give me cold water bath...!” she held the boys hand and dashed to the restroom.

“Hey... hey... wait... wait...!” the mother screamed but no one noticed as everyone was screaming in fright.  The lady dashed behind...!

“Stop... Stop!” she opened the restroom door and froze.  The boy was on the floor and Dhatri’s fingers were moving on his stomach.  The boy seemed to have calmed down... sleeping peacefully, feeling better.  The lady guarded the rest room door.  Dhatri floundered... something was amiss... something was wrong with the boy... she didn’t know what.... but they had done something to the boy...!

“They removed something from his body.....!” she murmured and the lady dashed in.

“Yes.. They removed his kidney... Cancer...!” she said quivering.  Dhatri rolled up her eyes giving up the attempt....! The boy was in deep slumber feeling at peace... Dhatri dropped on the floor in a heap.  The lady towered over her body shielding her.

“Yeah... Allah...She is burning...” the lady pulled her up in her arms.  “Yeah.. ok.  Cold water bath...” she remembered.  She managed to pull Dhatri to the tap and the water started running on Dhatri’s head.  Dhatri’s body responded... calming down a bit.  The lady kept patting on Dhatri’s cheeks...

“Ammi...” the boy sat up.  “Wait.. wait..” mother pulled Dhatri aside and wiped her face with the toilet papers....! Dhatri opened her eyes with efforts.

“Hey...!” the boy stood before her, smiling...! She had a faint smile on her face.  The boy held her hand.  The lady supported her out....!

Dhatri had found a new way out...! Curing people... confusing the staff... and the master piece was her ventriloquism....!!  The hospital staff had the trailer of the havoc ahead...! 

The inspection committee was at the gates ....!! 

********   ********  ******

“What is she going to do coming here, when we couldn’t do anything?” frustrated Disha muttered.  Bhanu looked away.

“You know? This is the first time she is coming to US and these fools expect her to do miracles...” Disha sat on the sofa...

“Vinit believes she would be....” Bhanu started weakly and Disha flared up...

“Vinit believes... Ravi Believes... That Dr. Ghosh believes...Bull shit..! This is all crap...! No one can do anything... She is gone... vanished....” Dhatri muttered hysterically...! Bhanu pulled her closer.

“Stop it Disha... Calm down...” he patted on her head pressing her against him.  Disha broke down under the pressure.

“You know what? I am the weakest... I am the most selfish person... I am responsible for Dhatri...” she sobbed hard.  Bhanu kept stroking her head without a word.  Disha had broken down completely.  She had no guts to face Rini... She had failed in protecting her Dhaa...!

“Bhanu.... What if they don’t find her?... I am all hopeless,  Bhanu... I don’t know what to do...This is all because of me..!” Disha cried her heart out.

“Shuuu... Disha... Sweetheart.... calm down.... Carry on your routine work... and let us pray... let us pray for our Dhaa... Disha, at least we can do that.... “ He held her close to his heart.  Disha’s sobs subsided...!

“How will I face Rini?” she was pathetic.  “Don’t blame yourself, Disha... Rini understands...” Bhanu tried to pacify her.  

“I go, light the lamp... “ Disha got up with determination.  Bhanu followed.  They prayed .. for their Dhaa... for Rini... For Mamma Papa.... for themselves...” 

“I will make Kheer... Dhaa loves it...” Disha went away and Bhanu stood before the idol praying .... begging for mercy for their Dhaa...” 

*********  ********

“I am sure... she is in there...” Ravi kept saying and Earl shook his head in denial..

“You saw the footage...” Earl looked at Jim.  He nodded. 

“Yeah... we even stole the data ... under the pretext of checking the recording...” Jim said looking at Ravi.

“But... there were some gray areas... there were no camera’s... they had cordoned off those parts of that building... Some corridors were not monitored...” Ravi went on with his argument.

“We can’t be sure to have seen every patient in last three weeks or so.... on the footage..” He said pressing his point.  Earl fell silent so did Jim.

“You think, we should go in there again?” he asked.  Ravi looked up with hope.

“Yeah.. I think we should... This time to check every camera physically...Get an entry into the blocks and wards...” He said getting up in excitement.  Earl shook his head.  

“Look, Ray... That is impractical..!” Ray looked furious... 

“Look... I have a plan...” Dr. Koite poked ... and Ravi gazed with hope.

“I met Dr. Murrey last week... Chair person of Review Board... He needs whistle-blowers... to initiate inquiry...” Dr. Koite said vaguely.  Earl gaped... 

“What is that to do with the camera guys...?” he asked looking at Ravi’s fallen face.

“It does...!” Jim spoke looking at Dr. Koite...! 

“May be we can find out a disgruntled, displeased, disappointed, disheartened... I mean the dis.... something... persons from the footage...!” he said pouring cold water on Ravi’s hopes....

“Are you crazy? You think we can find out such person.. and then approach him... and you think, he will be all ready to jump into the pool for us?” Ravi flared up.  

“No...! Physical stock taking and reports is one of the essentials to be filed by every hospital... Dr. Murrey can ask for these details .... and may be send his persons for physical stock taking of the equipments...” Dr. Koite said and Earl nodded, this time.

“Yeah .. that can be done... and you two with me will be taking the stock...” said Earl.  

All this time, Vinit was busy with his Laptop and talking over the phone...!

“I am going in there as a delegate....Tomorrow! When Rini comes..!” he said getting up adjusting his belt buckle.

“What? How?” Earl was shocked.

“We have a delegation of Doctors visiting... Minister for health and family planning is accompanying.... I am latching on to him.... I and Rini will get the official letter by this evening....!”  Vinit exploded the bomb.  Admiration appeared in Earl’s eyes.  Vinit went out..

“Wish I could join them...” Ravi muttered hopelessly.  Earl’s eyes flashed....

“Ok.  We can bring everything together... the Physical stock taking... the inquiry committee meeting and the foreign delegation visit...” He paused to comprehend the effect on the other people.

“You understand, what I mean?” he asked and others nodded getting up.  They waited for Rini....!