After traveling for nearly an hour in the hot sun they stopped a group of policemen on the road ahead. There were several SUVs and personnel. He did not recognize anyone in the faces present. The biker stopped and waited for Bandu to alight, then drove away. Bandu was shocked as no policemen tried to stop his departure, which seemed strange to him.

"Please be seated in the vehicle, Maanji, we are to take you safely to Chalhat," one of the officers named Naman Misht on the plaque read.

The party quickly departed after Bandu seated himself with the officer. Bandu did not question their actions and did as they requested. 

"Where is comm. seth and his men?' furious as he was that his enemy escaped his clutches, he could not hold himself from questioning the men.

"We don't know that sir, we were instructed to wait here for your arrival and then pick you up and drop you at the headquarters,"

"That man who brought me here, who is he?"

"I am sorry sir, we don't know that. We were given the description of the person who was supposed to bring you here and no name was exchanged with us,"

"Ok, then do you know if Princess Nayantara and Miss Sakhi reached safely?"

"Everyone was allotted a role in this mission, but are not appraised about others' role and how they have fared. We will come to know about the success of our mission at the destination. This is because the communication here is very weak and contact is impossible by phone. So we hope that all missions are successful,"

"You are right, sorry to bother you with my questions without knowing your difficulties," Bandu said.

"No sir, it was no bother,"

Then there was only silence most of the way until they began to leave the barren land behind and patches of greens began to appear on the landscape. Soon enough the officer's phone rang and he listened to it briefly and then instructed his driver to go to another destination. He then made another call and passed on the message to someone, most probably the men following them in other vehicles.

"I have received instructions to move to the army base in Chalhat," the officer informed Bandu.

"Ok, did they not say anything more?"

"No sir, nothing,"

"Now since the communication has resumed, can I speak with my family?" Bandu asked.

"The mission is still not over until we drop you to the location. Till then your whereabouts must be held secret or else the mission may be jeopardized. So I am afraid you cannot speak to your family or anyone else as of now,"

"Hmm..." Bandu hummed with disappointment and worry. There were still Raka's men in the palace and he remembered the biker's words that that they do not take any action until instructed and he hoped and prayed for everyone's safety.

It seemed all surreal to him and in his heart the trepidation continued, not knowing what turn of events awaited him further ahead. The drive was long, too long for his anxiety, and gained momentum every second.

The party reached their destination and then was his real test of patience that threatened to blow the lid off his anxious heart.

He was escorted to the same room where they had met Ravi, but it was comm Seth who was there to greet him. The officers left them after the salutations. Comm Seth's face was grim which put him at the edge of the cliff.

" Was the mission successful?" was what Bandu wanted to know as he shook his hands with the comm. He winced in pain when it was gripped and then realized that he had hurt his hand during the fight at Ghatti.

"It is not over yet, awaiting a phone call to that effect," he said, "Sit down please,"

"Where are the ladies?"

"They are here too and resting. Nayantara was a bit shaken up, but the doctors attended to her and declared her fit,"

My family...they are in danger. Raka has his men in the palace. He showed me pictures,"

"Raka!?"

"Yes, the one who killed my father. I met him today, the mastermind behind all these problems I am facing. He wanted me to go to the mountain and retrieve precious stones, he believed to be buried there. No amount of reasoning worked on that maniac, and when he finally threatened to harm my family, I agreed to his impossible task,"

"Then what happened?"

"A biker arrived on the spot and advised him to escape from there because the police had raided all his establishments and confiscated his property. This put him in a vulnerable spot and he agreed to heed the advice and left the scene,"

"Then how did you come here so soon? It would have taken you hours to have to reach here,"

"It was the biker who dropped me. It was so strange that my enemy's son helped me and got away from the police without being questioned. What is going on? Can you explain to me?"

"Don't worry, soon everything will be exposed to you. Waiting for two more people to arrive after completing their mission," comm Seth said.

"Why don't you go and get fresh? The constable outside will take you to a room where your baggage is kept. I will call you as soon as my men arrive and brief you,"

"Can I see the ladies?"

"I will ask the constable to check if they are ready to meet. He will come and inform you,"

"What about my family? Can I talk to them?"

"No, not yet. Everyone is supposed to believe that you are in the enemy's custody. Suspicion will arise once they know that you are safe and that might harm them,"

"I have seen their faces and I can identify them,"

"There may be more than two or three of them in the palace. You have to be careful,"

"Can't you move them away from there?"

"No, Bandu, you don't realize, anything done out of the ordinary will rouse suspicion and they may act roughly,"

"Then what are you planning to do? How will they be safe then?"

"They will be recalled back by their own master,"

"What! How's that possible? He has escaped, will he recall them back?"

"He will because if they are caught, they will spill more information. He wouldn't want that,"

"That's a far-fetched possibility you are riding your hopes on and risking my family's life," Bandu got up agitated, running his hand through his hair.

"Bandu, I know it is a risk, but we have to take it to avoid any fatality. Please trust us, Prince Maan. I will surely have good news for you once you are rested,"

"Prince Maan...why have you got to calling me that now?"

"Well, you are the prince, and I have to get used to calling you that,"

"Please, sir, let me remain, Bandu, the tea vendor, a simple commoner, who loves his family and desires nothing else but to live a simple and satisfied life with whatever I have,"

"But now that has all changed, Maan, you were meant to do other good things in life and not be just a tea vendor. Maybe god has some other task for you. And everything in life is simple, Maan, we just make it big,"

"Well, I don't think about all that now when my family is at gunpoint,"

"A few hours more, Maan, things will get clear, and the situation will be much more transparent,"

"Ok, then I will get fresh and meet the ladies," Bandu said before leaving the room.