The breakfast table was quiet and solemn, silence occupied the air in the room. Pradyuman and Kavin sat on the table, and quietly just placed the parathas from the casserole onto their plates, barely managing to eat a morsel, the morning just got harder than the night that passed with such difficulty. 

A middle aged lady arrived from the kitchen, only to find the chair next to kavin empty, and sighed in distress. 

"kavin beta, bhai ko bulake lao..kaho maa ne kaha hai nashte pe aane ko!" she exclaimed, stern in her tone, as kavin reluctantly looked over to his father, who couldn't help but nod along, asking him to follow through, making him get up from the table and walk over to abhijeet's room. 

Kavin knocked on the door, while he rubbed his eyes, the sleeplessness wearing them clearly. 

"bhaiya mummy nashte ke liye bula rahi hai! aa jao!" exclaimed kavin, waiting eagerly for a response. 

He sighed in despair with only silence in response. He didn't bother to knock this time and just barged in, and was shocked at his sight. 

"bhaiya!" exclaimed kavin, as abhijeet was unbothered, continuing to remain on the bed, and sipping on his glass of whiskey. Kavin was frowned at the sight of one bottle lying around the floor, clearly emptied by him last night, already on the verge of finishing another. 

"bhaiya yeh sab kya hai! aap raat se drink kar rahe ho!" yelled kavin, utterly mad. 

"ab toh tune uska bhi sukoon cheen liya! bhook nahi yaar, bolde maa ko. waise bhi, tu kyun mere saath time waste kar raha hai...tujhe toh kaam pe jaana hai...teri toh naukri hai abhi...mere paas toh bas, waqt hi waqt hai..." replied abhijeet, continuing to drink. 

Kavin was no longer mad, his eyes moistening, he was left feeling utterly melancholic at his brother's sorry state. 

"bhaiya...aap sambhalo apne aapko please...hum haina aap ke saath...abhi bhi theek ho sakta hai sab...aise umeed mat haro!" pleaded kavin, his voice choking, seated next to abhijeet on the bed, patting his shoulder. 

Abhijeet sighed in disbelief, while he only shook his head at kavin. 

"dekh, sach kahoon na, inquiry ka kuch bhi result ho, puri tarah se na, kabhi kuch theek nahi hoga...main apni safai dene chala jaunga jab bulayenge par...pata nahi, main dobara, jaisa tha, waise laut paunga ya nahi...aur chahe joh bhi karlo, koi bhi yeh bholega nahi...aur kaheen na kahi...main galat rahunga hi sabki nazron mein..." stated abhijeet bluntly, but his voice still reeking of raw pain, as kavin felt heartbroken at his words. 

"bhaiya..." attempted kavin to reply.

"kavin, ab apne aapko sambhal, aur jaa kaam pe, ab dekh tu late hoga, toh papa bhi honge na...hmm?" attempted abhijeet to pacify kavin, as he reluctantly, with teary eyes, not knowing what to do, quietly walked away. 

Only for him to come outside and find his father just nearby to have heard everything, and his teary eyes met his son's with a sadness they both shared in one glance. 

                                                                   ***

ACP Pradyuman and Kavin entered the bureau to complete and awkward silence, as everyone looked around cluelessly towards each other for what to say and how to act. The father and son exchanged glances sorrily, kavin slowly walked with his eyes on the ground to his desk and the ACP took quiet and small steps to his cabin. 

Only for him to open the door and immediately find in front of him standing, someone he was pleasantly surprised to find there, a tiny smile creeping up on his face. 

Dushyant sighed deeply as he shared a glance with him. 

"thank you." stated ACP softly and very earnestly, as dushyant nodded accepting in cordially, passing a tight lipped smile. 

"aapke sign chahiye, paperwork process karwaunga jaldi se jaldi...phir hi inquiry formally baithegi." stated dushyant, pointing to the paperwork on Pradyuman's desk. He was quick to comply by walking over to his desk immediately and grabbing his pen to sign. 

"theek hai phir, uhmm, meri commissioner se baat hogayi hai, toh, aaj hojana chahiye..." informed dushyant, checking the papers once again, as ACP smiled. 

Dushyant looked up to find him smiling and while there was a hesitant discomfort he found within himself creeping up, he could still share a glance with him and let it oddly simmer in. 

"chalta hoon..." said dushyant, giving a cordial smile, almost by the door, as ACP decided to accompany him to on his way out. 

They both walked out of the cabin together, only for the bureau door to revolve open to reveal DCP Chitrole coming inside with his staple, evil grin. Everyone got up in complete panic, anxious as to what's going to happen now. 

"Oh! main toh bilkul sahi time pe aaya! bichde baap-bete ke milan pe!" exclaimed DCP, as dushyant rolled his eyes and ACP glared at him. 

"ab aaj kya papa ka suspension order laaye hai!" taunted kavin in annoyance, walking to him from his desk, as DCP only smirked. 

"ab dekho, mujhe koi shauk thodi hai, hamesha buri khabar laane ka! par kya karein, hamesha mujhe hi deni padti hai...khair, aaj toh main achi khabar laaya hoon..kisiki appointment hogi." stated DCP, as he opened from an envelope, a formal letter. 

"ab kya haina pradyuman, ek bete ko bachane ke liye tum rakhail ke bete ko le aaye ho, ab, aise toh kaam nahi chalega na..." remarked DCP, as both Dushyant and Pradyuman glared at him. 

"toh maine socha ek sachi mein, objective, legal consultant ho iske saath...aur case bhi aisa hai, female perspective bhi chahiye hota hai...isliye humne bhi appoint kiya..." stated DCP, only for the bureau door to revolve open and reveal a young woman, looking at whom, dushyant was left completely baffled, while Chitrole smirked. 

"lo aa gayi....legally, abhi bhi, mrs ishita hemraj hui na, vakeel sahab?" taunted Chitrole, as ishita within few steps found herself right in front of dushyant, her face as shocked as him. 

Dushyant scoffed with a glare fixed on DCP Chitrole, his arms crossed. 

"bas, yahi chaalein thi? itne kache khiladi niklenge pata nahi tha...aapko laga main inn cheap harkaton se darr jaunga!" exclaimed dushyant scornfully. 

"darrana toh mujhe tha hi nahi! mujhe toh laga khush hoge, kaam mein dil laga rahega, biwi saath mein hogi..." retorted chitrole, as ishita interrupted. 

"hum separate ho chuke hai...divorce ki bas formalities rehti hai...main nahi hoon...iski biwi..." clarified ishita, glaring at dushyant. 

"time hai, jaana hai toh chali jao..." remarked dushyant, a smirk on his face, as she passed a mocking smile. 

"4 saal jhela hi hai tumhe...kuch aur dinn mein kya hi hojayega...ghatiya toh tum utne hi ho..." retorted ishita scornfully, as dushyant had to take a deep breath to bit his tongue as his mind came up with utterly inappropriate things to say in response. 

"ab ehsaan bahaut bada hogaya hai mere aap par..." muttered dushyant to ACP, as he was left speechless. 

"waise, ab yahan tapakne ki zimmat kar hi li thi, toh chaliye, kardijiye apne shubh hastakshar...mere bhi kaagaz pe....warna mujhe kaise saubhagaya milega inko roz dekhne ka..." remarked dushyant with a scornful face and a mocking tone while glaring at ishita, who also glared back with equal disdain, while Chitrole revelled in the situation. 

                                                                             ***

It was another mundane day of investigation with a routine procedure for forensic examination taking place. Tarika was examining an accident ridden car for samples while Dr.Salunkhe was conducting a computing analysis of the evidence, in the empty lot outside the bureau. Tarika was completely engrossed with collecting DNA samples from blood at the backseat of the car, when to her complete astonishment, she felt someone's presence only a few centimetres away from her, and a voice right against her ear, unexpected despite being familiar.

"Hello, Tarikaji." Greeted abhijeet with an overenthusiastic tone and unnecessarily wide smile.

Tarika was left with a disconcerted expression on her face, smiling awkwardly.

"Hello, abhijeet...." She replied, resuming back to work, while abhijeet received a glare from Dr. Salunkhe.

"Humein hi bolne pe tax hai abhijeet?" Remarked Dr Salunkhe, everyone laughing along for what seemed to be friendly banter, while Tarika found this interaction hard to shake off, not able to understand the discomfort simmering in.
    
Tarika recounted that incident with the discomfort still raw to her as she only glanced outside her bedroom window aimlessly.

"Di!" Called purvi eagerly, as tarika was brought to reality.

"Inquiry kal officially start hojayegi. And guess what? Dushyant hemraj ke saath unhone ek legal expert female bhi rakhwayi hai... thank god! Atleast this won't become a case of all these disgusting men saving each other!" Expressed purvi disdain and relief at the same time.

Tarika pondered more deeply in doubt, thinkin of what is to come.
 
                        ***
Author's note: hey guys! I think now you have enough context of the plot to let me know your opinions on this story so far. So please, let me know in the comments!!! And don't forget to vote!