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“Oh God...! 200 million dollars? Did you hear that?” Disha screamed and Bhanu came out of his study.

“Axix Security and Servilliance.. LLC is sued for 200 million dollars for invading privacy...” Disha pointed at the screen.  Bhanu gaped in shock.

“Axix... Ravi’s company!” he blurted in horror.

“Yeah...! His company is sued .... It messed up in fixing, it seems... They fitted in common restrooms..... Oh god!” Disha wiped her forehead.  Bhanu sat on sofa with a thud.

“See... A company in Nebraska....” she went on.  Bhanu tried dialing Ravi’s number and then remembering that Ravi was in India, disconnected.  

“Oh God..... Yesterday he got married and today....!” Disha was shocked.

“How could they be so careless....Or is it deliberate?” she asked looking at Bhanu.

“Disha.... Its a law suit.... The alligations are not proved yet...” Bhanu said looking at Disha’s face.  Disha fell silent for a while watching the news....! 

“Now.. everything will come down to my sister...” she said wiping her face.

“What do you mean?” Bhanu asked confused.

“Yesterday they got married... Ravi and Dhaa... and today this ....! Every body will ....” Disha wiped her eyes.

“Everybody will, what, Disha?” Bhanu held her hand.

“Ev..Everybody will think... she is a bad omen...” Disha said sobbing.  Bhanu threw his hands in the air shaking his head hopelessly....!

“From where do you get these ideas, Disha? You are a scientist at NASA... How can you...?” he blurted in shock.  Disha looked up....

“You don’t know, Bhanu... people in India....” She didn’t complete.

“I am an Indian too, Disha and I am sure no one will blame Dhaa....! The company will sort it out....!” he said and then his face turned ghostly....

“Nebraska.... Disha Ravi had deployed the systems in the mall and business house....” Bhanu said in a hollow voice.

“Did he....?” He couldn’t even think about it....!

“But that was long back... why would a company sue now...?” Bhanu wondered....

“See? Its a Dhaa effect....” Disha hid her face....

“Just shut up, Disha... “ Bhanu yelled, losing his control over his anger.  Disha looked up shocked.

“Stop yelling at me... This is a fact... she is... she is...a bad omen....” Disha flared up too.

“Oh! Shut up Disha.. get a life...!” Bhanu left her alone in the room and went out.  Disha sat with a thud.  Dhatri had proved it again....! She was a big hindrance for Disha and now for Ravi too...! Ravi would end up in a mess...!

“I know... everyone will blame her for this....Dhaa...!” Disha cried hiding her face in her palms.  Her little sister was in trouble again....! 

“I must call her...” she searched for her cell....!

“Pick up the phone, Dhaa...” Disha glanced at the closed door of her house...!

“I must call her before Bhanu returns...!” She tried again.

Dhatri was busy in her project Demo.....  

Ravi was waiting in the canteen...! 

******  ********  ******

“Huu...Huu...Huu....Hyck...hyck....!” The mob was cheering and jeering....! The headless goat was being dodged and kicked and thrashed.... ! 

The Whip in mouth, a Kyrgyz man steered his horse in a game of buzkashi!  The headless goat carcass had taken the place of the ball. Vinit watched from a distance.  It looked like a traditional Polo in India.  The Kyrgyz call it ‘ulak tartysh..’ 

“Enjoying the game?” A man sat beside Vinit and Vinit nodded smiling...! 

“The stakes are high here...! The loser will end up losing the youth...!” the man said and Vinit turned to him.

“What do you mean?” he asked looking at the hysteric crowd....!

“This is a competiton ... the stakes are high...” The man created enough suspense.  Vinit looked surprised.

“The loser team will have to part with three of their young men....” the man said... Vinit understood.

These young men would be used as slaves by the winning team...! 

“What about the goat? Whose goat is that?” Vinit asked... and the man grinned showing his blackened decayed, broken teeth... His long chiseled nose was running.  He was just not bothered to wipe it off....! Vinit looked away disgusted...! Curiosity brought him back to the man.  The man looked hideous...!

“Stealing...! Good that we could steal a goat from them.... else it would be stolen child ...... beheaded and used for ulak tartysh...” The man said solemnly and Vinit got up with a jerk...!

“What? A child? You mean... you people kill a child for a game? Just like that?” he was shocked to the core and lost his balance, grabbing the attention of others.  The man just shrugged and went away seeing a small group of people approaching...! Vinit clenched his fists..! The addiction for drugs and this game had made them insensitive...! They didn’t value human life...!  The treeless terrain had turned them into stones themselves...! The high altitude, thin air, scarcity of oxygine, the fight for food and the arms deals was a dangerous lethal combition....! There was no difference between slaughtering animals and humans....! For months these people would travel from one end to the other and back... from China border to the tip of North East Pakistan... for drugs, money, women, and slaves...! Vinit had a knot in his stomach....! 

“Huu... Huu...Huu....!” the jeers rose and the tempo reached the skies...! The winning team was throwing woollen strips in the air.... The handing over for three young boys took place and they were brought into the troop.  

“This is our last summit...! In a couple of days we will reach the destination....! You will travel back from Kabul or Islamabad...!”  Khan baba said chewing a piece of roast meat...! Vinit grinned....!

“I will take Yarkhun River  which flows in Indian territory as karambar River...” he said and Khan baba looked at him astonished...! 

“My journey ends here...!” Vinit got up smiling.  Khan baba looked puzzled.  Vinit had different plans...! The river route was only an eyewash... ! 

“No... don’t take the river route....!” Khan knew how dangerous that would be...! Vinit turned.

“What do you suggest?” he asked coming back.

“Well... I think you should....” Khan baba explained the plan.....

****  ***  ****

“No! You go...!” Dhatri said when Ravi explained.  She had a technical problem.  Her VISA was expired.  She had only three months VISA for US for the young achievers award.  She couldn’t accompany Ravi.  They both had not thought over this problem.  Ravi’s partner Bill broke the news to Ravi and they both had to be there for the first hearing...! 

“Mr. Ray...!” Bill had come out hurriedly visibly worried.  Ravi was waiting for him.

“Did you hear that?” he asked a confused looking Ravi and then went on to break the news. 

“ Did you deploy the system?” Ravi thought for a while.

“I did... but not for this Mall.  I deployed the systems in Lincoln not Columbus...!” he said gravely.

“Anyway... we have to be there...” they both concluded.   Bill was incharge of Cameras in automation and Ravi have taken over the servilliance division very recently. 

......  .....

“Dhatri... I will be back, soon...!” Ravi said gravely.  The thought of leaving Dhatri, his wife in India twisted his heart.  Just a day back, they were in the thick of the things trying to avoide all those rituals and now he had to leave.  Dhatri fixed her gaze on her feet.  Ravi looked away dejected.  The friends had given them some time together and Bill had gone to collect his things.  They were to leave as early as possible.

Dhatri just nodded, not knowing how to react.  She was married to this man and he was leaving her.  She tried to look up to him but failed to meet his gaze.

“Dhatri...!” he held her hand.  She shuddered a bit and withdrew reflexively.  He folded his arms gazing at her.

“Dhatri.. please understand the crisis...” he said leaning forward and Dhatri nodded. 

“No! You go! I will manage...” She said not knowing what and how she would manage.  

“I... I will request Rahman uncle to complete the formalities for your VISA, Dhatri...” he said earnestly.  She merely nodded.  The thought of going back to parents after the wedding fiasco gave her jitters.  She looked away.  “What have I done...?” she regretted.  Ravi was watching the changing expressions on her face.  She suddenly got up.

“Ok, then... you must get ready...” she said turning to move away.  Ravi pulled her by arm and wrapped his arms around her.  She struggled pushing him away.  He overpowered her struggle whispering in her ears...!

“I will be back soon, JL....” She forgot her struggle.

“Don’t call me JL...!” she retorted.  “You are JL! My JL...” he teased her. 

“Shut up...Leave me...” she tried to break free.

“Dhatri... Miss me, ok!” he brushed his lips on her cheek and she pushed him away with all her might.  He left her and moved away a bit.  A trapped breath left her mouth in a sigh.  She turned her reddening face....! 

“We kiss the bride after the wedding....” he had come back holding her from behind.  Her knees gave way...She tried to run away with wobbly knees, failing even to move an inch. 

“Ray....” Bill was approaching and Dhatri moved away from Ravi.