"I spy you!" - 32

That sentence made Vasupradha feel guilty. ‘Now, come on Vasupradha, you have seen Pushpahaasa once. Doesn’t your heart always crave to see him, eager to touch him?’ chided her conscience.

She immediately stopped stepping on to the dangerous zone! After all, just to escape his influence that she tried to immerse in work and now she is going off to a smaller but picturesque city.

After bidding goodbye to Durjaya, Vasupradha got into the train. She took quite a good number of warm clothes since it was cold in the picturesque city. She reached by early morning. She opened her eyes and looked out of the window.

She had read about it, she had seen pictures, she had seen movies shot in the city, but the city looked lovelier and full of hopes.

She hailed a cab and gave the driver the address. While the cab traveled down the winding roads, she looked outside.

There was snow on some roof tops. But there was no snow on the roads. She saw some machines on the sides of roads and realized that these machines remove the snow from the roads and make them usable.

“Memsaab! This is the address you gave me” the cabbie said and pulled the cab in front of a house.

She peered at the number on the house and got down the cab. A cold wave hit her face. She felt very cold. It was just then that sun was rising. She did not see anyone early in the morning. She customarily glanced at the houses in the opposite lane.

She went inside the house and switched on the heater in the room. After a few minutes, the room became heated up. The Intelligence office had one good thing in it. When someone goes undercover somewhere, the whole set of documents, a comfortable home etc. are provided without any hassle.

She decided to have her own name, but only the first half. Vasu. Many documents proving her that she is Vasu had been provided and which she was carrying with her. She hit the pillow on the bed and suddenly she was transported into the world of sleep.

The sunlight had become quite bright when she woke up. She wondered for a moment where she was. Then in a jiffy she hurried to the hall and parted the heavy curtain covering the window and looked at the houses in the opposite row.

Which house was she supposed to watch?

She went to fetch her leather pouch and opened it. The documents provided by Padmanabha were there. She was going through the documents while keeping an eye on the three houses in the opposite row.

She need not have worried about checking the details of the house. From the house in the center came out a woman. Vasu did not have open the file to know who it is. It was the woman who told that her husband may be involved in some nefarious activities. Now, what’s her name?  Amruta!

"I spy you!" - 31

When Vasupradha was packing her things to leave for her new undercover job, Durjaya came in.

“Hello Elder sister! Are you not feeling sad?” he asked while trying to sit on the bed where Vasupradha had dumped her clothes to pack.

“Hey! Please get up from here and sit on the chair so that I can comfortably complete the packing” she admonished him with mock anger. But she felt in her heart that she is going to miss his company. They were meeting with each other whenever possible. They were trying to eat together during lunch hours whenever possible.

Now, as per Padmanabha, at least for 3 months she has to be in the city having snow and mountains.

“So elder sister! Are you ready for your mission?” he asked.

Generally they ensured that the office work is not known to the other person. When once Vasupradha tried to share some information about her job, he had shushed her. “Don’t! This part we keep to ourselves. If there is any problem, we should not betray our colleagues and especially if they are close to us”

Vasupradha could not have agreed more. So he was not told anything about where she was going. But he helped in learning so many new things about computers. This was lesson which honed her skills.

“How do I keep in touch with you?” asked Vasupradha keeping the last piece of cloth in the suitcase.

“Well, you give me a call, ring it once, cut it and again the second time when you do and disconnect, I will somehow tell you how to contact me” Durjaya said solemnly.

Vasupradha felt a chill is engulfing her body.

“Don’t worry. I am sure it won’t be dangerous” he said, though he did not know where she is going or what was going to do there.

Vasupradha walked into the kitchen and prepared coffee. She poured it in two cups and carried it to the hall and placed it on the teepoy. She went back to get another plate filled with puffed rice.

Durjaya took a spoonful of puffed rice which had red chilli powder, fried groundnuts and sipped coffee from his cup and sighed.

“So, why such a sigh?” asked Vasupradha settling on a chair next to his.

“I have to wait for 3 months to get such a lovely coffee and puffed rice. Of course, I miss your company” said Durjaya feelingly.

“Come on! How many months since you know me?” she asked, though she was also going to miss him.

“To get into a real friendship, one need not wait for years to develop it” said Durjaya.

"I spy you!" - 30

What a manly walk! She felt a thrill ran through her which actually annoyed her. I can’t be so clammy in front of stranger, though a colleague. For all she knew their paths may never cross again.

Durjaya dropped her home. She was not at all talkative. May be she is tired after all this adulation, Durjaya thought.

The next two days she could not concentrate. His face, his body, his talk haunted her. Without her knowledge she tried to poke into Durjaya’s computer to pick up some details about Pushpahaasa. There was not much she could get.

May be he is very secretive thought Vasupradha. She kicked herself for being in this position. She tried all means to come out of this. She knew if she continued like this, it would affect her work.

Work is separate and private feelings are separate – she started chanting to herself. She could not still concentrate on her work.

She met Durjaya and tried to talk the usual stuff with him and to her horror she failed to make even ordinary conversation. Oh God, please help me, she prayed the unseen God multiple times.

She decided that only remedy for this is to get involved in her work. She wanted to meet Bhanu and ask her for a job and then decided against it. May be she won’t take it kindly.

Then she remembered Padmanabha. She had seen an admirer in him. She mustered courage to meet him and ask him some job so that she could come out of this infatuation. She was sure it was not more than that!

Padmanabha beckoned her to come in the moment she knocked on the door and put her head in the slightly opened door.

“Did you get my message?” he asked. Vasupradha was surprised. She said “No Sir!”

“Oh, how come you have come?” he said in a surprised voice and pulled a file towards him and opened it.

“Look at this lady! She has given us a lead. She feels her husband is up to some nefarious activities. The police have forwarded the case to us since it involves some matter of national security” said Padmanabha pointing to a photograph of a woman. She looked beautiful.

 “You have to go undercover. You have to live in a house opposite to hers for at least 3 months” said Padmanabha. Vasupradha was very elated.  Undercover! To live as someone else!!

"I spy you!" - 29

He was keenly looking at her. She had to go up six steps to be on the stage. She walked up the steps just like Charlie Chaplin and there was a huge round of applause.

She shook hands with both the judges and gracefully accepted the prize.

“Now, we would like to know the true identity of the person. Could you please show your real face?” asked the senior judge.

She took off her hat and shook her hair loose. Then she pulled the brush moustache with alacrity.

Now there was a bigger sound of claps. All of them stood up to clap.

Vasupradha’s eyes scanned the crowd to single out the Mask man. Oh, he has removed his mask. By seeing him and his expression, her legs felt rubbery and she was sure she will fall down. She bravely came down the steps just like Charlie Chaplin both feet on each step and removing the hat at every step.

The claps continued till she reached the seat next to Durjaya. His mouth was agape with her charade.

He just kept on shaking her hand for quite some time.

There was quiet after that. All went for dinner. As she filled her plate with the snacks and searched for a place to sit, a voice said, “That was a smart performance!” The same voice, the manly voice, which was making her melt like ice cream.

She now looked at his face boldly. Really a great face. Each part of the face was made with perfection. And his body! It was a match for his good looking face. Oh God, I hope I will not fall for him. He has all the characters of Adonis.

“Thank you!” she said and sat down thankfully on a stool and placed her plate on the table.

“My name is Pushpahaasa! You are Vasupradha?” he asked.

So, this man has done some homework between my appearance on stage and the dinner.

“Pushpahaasa! Very rare name” she blurted out just to talk something. Then she bit her tongue. She knew what he will tell!

“Yes madam! Just like yours, my parents also searched the same scripture to name me!” he smiled. Oh God, what a smile!

She felt she was split into two. One portion wanted to see him forever. The other portion wanted to avoid him, that too only to avoid a heart ache!

Oh no, not during the first meeting. Have I not seen more handsome men? She tried to reason out herself.

Even as he was trying to strike a conversation with her, he got a call.

The moment he said “Yes!” and heard the message from the other side, his face became like a mask. He went some distance, spoke a few words, came back, nodded at her and left in a hurry.

"I spy you!" - 28

She hurried her steps and entered the hall. In a hurry, she tripped on the carpet. A hand with an iron grip held her and made her steady.

The body heat soared. Oh, who is this man? Why is he coming behind me like this? Thought Vasupradha. Of course, she suddenly understood. He is also a part of the office. That means he is a colleague! No wonder, he is wearing the (most famous) mask!

Inside the hall, there were many people already. All of them were dressed in some or the other film personality’s dresses.

She looked out for Durjaya and suddenly spied him in the dress of Aamir Khan in Gajni. He was wearing a bunion which looked like a bare six pack! And a wig of slight hair and a deep wound mark!

She just went and sat beside him. He just gave her a customary glance and started looking at his watch.

Suddenly she realized why he was seeing the time! He was trying to see at what time she is coming in and as what!

She smiled to herself and was scared immediately that her brush moustache may come off!

There were two people who were not in any fancy dress. They were peering at everyone. May be they were the judges, suddenly thought Vasupradha.

The judges went up the stage. Durjaya was restless. He looked at the door again and again and then called her over the mobile. She could not contain her laughter. She just moved to the end of the row and received his call.

“Yes, of course, I am here. Only thing is you did not recognize me! Let us meet after this speech is over” she whispered and came back and sat next to him smiling to herself.

“There are three prizes. The third prize goes to... “ One of the judges announced and continued, “The second prize goes to ....”

Then the other judge picked up the mike. “The first prize goes to the person who is in the makeup of .... “ He did not tell the name. He went on narrating an incident. “There was this famous international actor. Once there was a competition to dress up like him. Out of curiosity the actor came as himself. Funnily he got the second prize!” There was a buzz among the audience. Many of them knew about who the judge was talking about. “Yes!” continued the judge. “The prize goes to Charlie Chaplin! The person in the dress may come on the stage please!”

Durjaya nudged with his elbow and said “Go!” and not knowing in the world that it was Vasupradha!

Vasupradha felt very uneasy now. Dressing up like Charlie Chaplin was fine. But going on the stage in front of colleagues... that too when she was yet to be accustomed with most of them.

But her legs stood up and she walked to the stage. The man in the Mask was in the first row.

"I spy you!" - 27

She felt uncomfortable. She wanted to badly change the subject. But she was unable to think of anything to talk about. The whole world of hers revolved around the case studies.

She need not have worried. Durjaya could speak about many things simultaneously!

“Hey, do you know we have a party this Saturday?” he told excitedly.

“What party?” asked Vasupradha

“It is called the charade party. You need to dress up like any movie actor you like. The condition is that the dress should make you recognizable as the actor” explained Durjayan.

Vasupradha found it interesting. She wondered what dress to wear.

Somehow two days were passed with her filing her reports of what she did in Middle East. As Saturday approached she started rummaging her wardrobe.

At that moment it struck to her which would be the best dress to wear. In fact, she had won accolades in her final year of college for the same fancy dress.

It was time to reach the party hall. The charade party was arranged in a 3 Star Hotel in a well known suburb of the city.

She hired a cab and got in. she was doubtful whether somebody would recognize her. She had dressed to the core. She could not even remove one part of her dress. She felt uncomfortable by watching the eyes of the cab driver. The eyes were full of curiosity to know what was being seen was for real!

She got down in the porch and paid the cabbie and walked in. The hall was somewhere in first floor. She decided to walk the distance as it was only one floor.

“Hello, I have seen him walking down the steps in a peculiar way. But, I don’t see you going up the steps in the same style” said a very manly voice. Her ears became hot by those words.

She immediately turned to see who commented. She could see a very wide chest, narrow hips, long legs and a shock of curly hair.

The face was not seen. It was in a mask. The mask of Jim Carrey. Who is this handsome man?

"I spy you!" - 26

Finally he got up and handed over her the pen drive in which he had brought some important documents. He said, “Madam, please take this back. Speak with Bhanu madam. If she pardons me I will be the happiest. Even if she punishes me, I request you to tell her that I am happy to abide by any punishment she plans to impose on me”

Vasupradha did not know what to reply. She patted his hand, left from his room and retired in her room. She contemplated whether to call Bhanu and decided against it. She wanted to face Bhanu in person, face to face.

She took the next day morning flight and reached back the Nation’s capital. She was in front of Bhanu in the next two hours.

Bhanu called Padmanabha to be part of the meeting.

When Vasupradha recounted the whole story, there was a look of admiration in Bhanu’s look. Vasupradha learnt that Padmanabha’s appreciation had gone up hundredfold as far as Padmanabha is concerned.

“Good job young lady! How on earth you got the idea of ‘blackmailing’ him?” Bhanu’s words were tough, but there was a twinkle in her eyes.

Vasupradha told, “It was not blackmailing boss. All I did was to tell him what he will miss if he resorts to the path he wanted to walk.”

As a very rare gesture, Bhanu told, “I appreciate what you did. But...”

“Boss, I needed to speak about that” Vasupradha said, looked at Padmanabha and continued, “If Gupta is to be punished, he requests that his family need not know where he is gone. May be we put in a good word so that he can be with his family without guilt after his punishment is over”

“Nice one young lady! You seem to have all good qualities!” said Padmanabha.

Vasupradha thanked them and went in search of Durjaya.

He was in the lab doing some experiment with a mobile connected to a personal computer.

“Hello” Vasupradha said and she could see the real happiness in his eyes, action.

“Hello elder sister! Turning to be a heroine with each one of the cases being handled by you?” he took her hand and shook it.

“How come...?” Vasupradha was surprised, so asked.

Durjaya laughed. “Do you know something? In this office it is difficult to see each other, but rumors and news spread fast!”

After the usual discussion regarding what each one underwent in the past few days (this, they had made a habit. Both felt that a lot can be eased out whenever two people talk and share.

“Good thing elder sister. You are really good in analyzing people. God bless you!” he said with a lot of feeling.