"Uday, where on earth are you? It's been a month since you left!" Leila asks as Uday picks up his satellite phone.

"Indonesia." He replies. "Me and the contacts I know over here did a thorough sweep of Indonesia. No sign of Madhav. We checked other tiny islands. No luck. Not even one drop of luck! I'm heading off towards Borneo and Philippines. If we are lucky we should get some clue of him."

"Alright, keep me posted, Uday. And - uhm take care." Leila says with a smile. "See you soon."

"I have a feeling he got stranded or casted off or whatever some place close to Philippines." Ahaana says.

"Are-are we sure Madhav would have been able to survive wherever he is right now?" Ashok asks as he takes a seat next to Ahaana on the wooden picnic table in the backyard of the RK Mansion.

"And that is exactly why we haven't told anything to the Ramakrishna's about our secret operation." Siya says as she takes a sip of the lime mojito that Shyaam made for them. "Let's just keep our fingers crossed and hope that Maddy survived is safe out there."

"It's best we keep our damn mouths shut until Uday finds something." Anu says munching on the nachos. "It should be top secret and we need to act casual - keep it cool as if we don't know anything about #MissionFindingMadhav."

"Right, then that should include us, not looking like a team of sleuths." Sivaji says as he walks towards the picnic table at the RK Mansion's backyard. "I mean, won't Shree get suspicious if she sees you ladies and Ashok doing a group huddle at every freaking opportunity you'll get?"

"My man's right!" Anu smiles as she presses a kiss to his cheek. "Let's put the whole thought of this rescue mission aside and focus on today's BBQ party. I'll go help Shyaam with the chicken."

"This is the time I miss having Madhav around." Leila says. "He makes a killer BBQ Pulled Chicken sandwich."

"With those spicy masala herb fried prawns!" Sivaji says nodding. "My man makes the best charcoal fried mutton chops ever."

"Grilled corn and those pineapple-tofu skewers!" Ahaana exclaims excitedly. "I'm pure vegetarian and I don't get invited to a lot of BBQ parties with vegetarian options. Even if I do, there's always bits and pieces of meat in the vege food. But this guy, may God bless him, he freaking has a separate BBQ grill and equipment to make the food for his vege-only friends!"

"Madhav always cares about his friends." Says Leila and Sivaji nods.

"Which is why we are hoping and doing everything to find him." Siya reminds them all.

"Alright ladies, we need to disperse." Ashok says. "Shree is coming this way."

"Right, I'll go talk to her, meanwhile all of us, let's spread out!" Ahaana says as she gets up, straightening the folds of her red kurta.

"Ahaana!" Shree says out loud as Ahaana sprints towards Shree.

"How are you?" Ahaana asks as she hugs Shree.

"I've been good."

"Really? Darling, I've had twins and I know how hard it can get." Ahaana smirks.

"You got me, babe." Shree admits. "It's been a bit tough. It's worse than the time I've had Madhu. It feels like I'm carrying three little Madhus. These two little trouble makers are kicking and cartwheeling throughout the day!"

"Looks like they've already started to take after their older sister." Ahaana laughs heartily. "I'm pretty sure it's two little boys. I mean, your carrying low and you didn't have morning sickness at all. My mom will bet all her money saying you are carrying two little adorable boys."

"Mumma's going to have two boy babies?" Madhu asks as she comes running with Meow behind her.

"We don't know yet, baby." Shree says caressing Madhu's head. "We'll have to find out only after they are born."

"I hope it's a boy and a girl. What a balance - two boys and two girls." Ahaana says.

"But I want two baby brothers!" Madhu exclaims.

"Ladies! Shall we save this conversation for the baby shower?" RK says as he walks into them. He straightens the apron tied atop his Hawaiian shirt. Yashoda looks at him with a smile.

"We're having a baby shower?" Shree asks taken aback.

"Of course!" Yashoda exclaims with a smile. "And not one of those very posh ones you had in Lewisham with cupcakes and balloons. We're talking about a proper traditional one with turmeric and glass bangles and ladoos!

"Do we really need one?" Shree asks.

"Of course." RK nods. "The last one we had was when Rukmini was expecting Madhav. We couldn't do one for Yasho since she lost her father a month before Shyaam was born. You were in London when you were expecting Madhu."

"And Devi had Vasu way before her confinement date." Shyaam says as he joins in from nowhere.

"I don't know." Shree says nervously. "I just don't feel like-"

"Shree, please. We really want to have a ceremony for you, dear." Yashoda says holding Shree's arm.

"Plus, it's been more than 30 years since we had such a ceremony." RK says. "And since the family is expecting twins, we should have a grander one!"

"The grandest one ever, Radha!" Yashoda smiles as she holds RK's arm.

"Of course, love!" RK says smiling at Yashoda.

"Alright." Shree says nodding.

* * * * *

Uday brings his boat to a halt by the bay of the island that was a few nauts away from Papua New Guinea.  It was a scorching hot afternoon and Uday had to narrow his eyes.

The boat - or rather the white and elegant Majesty 066 yacht was lent to Uday by Anushiya's father. The very yacht has been his home for the past one and half months.

Uday huffs as he slides the little photo of Leila onto his shirt pocket. He tucks his water bottle under his arm. As he scratches his stubbled chin, he grabs his drawstring backpack and waddles his way to the shore through the shallow waters.

"Where on earth am I?" He wonders as he peers into his map. "This place is not on the freaking map!"

He looks at the dense forest in front of him. He sits on the beach as he applies two thick coats on insect repellent. His eyes were glued to the little screen with a radar on it.

'Zero detections in 10kms' It read after a few minutes. No humans around him for the next 10 kilometers. But there'll be ample amount of carnivores and insects that are not even less than a kilometer far from him.

"Remind me to ask Siya to add another zero to my paycheck." He mutters as he walks into the forest. He surveyed the forest andfound nothing but trees, tall and twisted. He made his way inside the forest, dodgingtrees, and thorn creepers. 

Uday noticed the little torn shreds of faded blue cloth on the thorny creepers. He stopped after sometime, when he noticed a clear pathway merge in front of him.

"Madhav, my friend is that you?" Uday asks as he sprints down the clear pathway. He realized he was running deeper into the forest. After sometime, he felt drained, he felt his energy begin seeping out. He stopped, hearing a gushing sound similar to a soft roar - a waterfall.

With each step he could hear the waterfall's sound grow louder.

His feat carried him faster and he pushed a branch of a bamboo tree and found a waterfall falling into a lake. The water from the waterfall fell from an enormous height, and splashed on to ahuge cluster of rocks. The lake met the end of the waterfall. Uday notices a rustling from the trees behind him. He freezes and starts to frantically look around for a rock or something to hurl at the animal.

He takes a few steps towards the lake. He hears the sound of footsteps approaching him and before he could grab the twig in front of him, a tall dark man with a long beard and tattered clothes emerges from between the trees. He was wearing a blue shirt stained with mud and blood, with very visible tears. He was wearing a black trousers that wear now shortened up to his knees. Uday noticed long pieces of his trousers wrapped around his palm like a bandage.

"Is that yacht yours?" He asks Uday as he comes running forward. "I'm a castaway and I've been looking for a way get back to my home in Mumbai. I live there, my name is-"

"Madhav Ramakrishna!" Uday completes, stunned. "I can't believe it! I finally fucking found you man! Lord, this is huge! I need to tell Leila and Siya immediately."

"Hold on! Hold on! How do you know me, and how do you know Leila and Siya?" Madhav asks.

"I'm a friend." Uday explains. "Actually I'm Siya's friend. I'm an ex-Pentagon employee. Your friends hired me to find you."

"You know my friends?" Madhav asks surprised.

"Yes! Leila, Siya, Ahaana, Ashok, Anu and Sivaji." Uday says. 

"I don't even think most of them had met each other before. Do you know ny wife and my little one? How are they-"

"Shall we talk all this in the yacht?" Uday asks. 

"Yes. Do you have a toilet and some food inside your yacht? And maybe a first aid kit?" Madhav asks as he shows the tears and bruises on his arms.

"Yes, buddy. Anu sent a packed bag of clothes and toiletries for you in case we found you." Uday says as he wraps an arm around Madhav's shpulders. Together, they walk down the cleared pathway. "Let's get you showered and nicely groomed. I'll make you hot cocoa and something warm to eat."

To be continued...

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